


Awakening the Sleeping Beauty

by killeraj68



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2020-07-11 22:23:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19935484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killeraj68/pseuds/killeraj68
Summary: WashiWashiMonster's "Twisted Fairytales" Chapter 2 prompt.-Finding herself tied up by the "Sleeping Beauty" many had died to save, Umi fears her captor's intentions.Months pass, but she continues thinking of the vast world they're both missing out on.With bits of a bitter and hidden past from a hundred years ago revealed, the Princess' journey to regain her love for the kingdom begins.





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WashiWashiMonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WashiWashiMonster/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Twisted Fairytales](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17380790) by [WashiWashiMonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WashiWashiMonster/pseuds/WashiWashiMonster). 



> From WashiWashiMonster's "Twisted Fairytales". Give all the prompts a read, especially if want some horror.

Groggily, Umi opened her eyes to the unfamiliar room, illuminated by moonlight through an open window next to her. Hopefully, she'd only been out for half the day, and hadn't slept through to the next night. To say she was currently uncomfortable was an understatement. Her body felt sore, as if she'd awakened as a child after a nasty training session with her father, who'd been in a venting mood.

Trying to regain her bearings, she ignored her pains and tried absorbing all the information she could. Directly in front of her stood the door, the passageway on the other side an uncertain escape route. As for her missing weapon, it sat next to it, laid broken in half. It wasn't well crafted in the first place, so she expected as much. The pristine room held no further details to deduce from, aside from some ordinary furniture, seen in any noble's estate.

Jerking her head to look elsewhere, yet remaining facing forward, gave her cause for alarm. It reminded her of her unexpected predicament.

"Hoho~, looks like my knight is awake," a deep voice said off to her side, causing her eyes to widen, "I'd thought you'd come along a bit later after being choked earlier."

In no time, Umi was spun by the vine binding her to face the "Sleeping Beauty" of legend. Opposed to the elegant dress from before, she was in a nightgown, poised on her comfy bed. Her smirk sent chills down her spine, the sense of dread multiplied by the feeling of helplessness.

Under different circumstances, the youthful, ash-gray haired captor would be admittedly attractive. If the Princess had gone on and told her how she once was called the most beautiful, Umi would believe her in a heartbeat. However, after being ensnared by the Princess' vegetation like the deceased knights before her, romance was the farthest thing on Umi's mind.

Not that it was _ever_ on her mind... never with herself in them, at least...

It soon became apparent that Umi had been lost in her thoughts for too long. The Princess tapped her on the forehead, regaining her attention. "What's going on in that head of yours? Thinking about escaping? Hm~?!"

Umi let out a muffled groan as the vine painfully tightened, slowly easing back its' grip. She didn't know if she should be thankful that the particular vine was thornless. Perhaps it would've been better if she could've bled out during her unconsciousness. It beat the idea of the Princess ordering her plants to crush her in anger, or any other reason for that matter.

"You're still thinking?" Umi heard her ask, musings replaced by panic. Despite maintaining a poker face, the Princess still picked up on her emotions. "No need to be scared, I'm keeping you around for a while. Can't have my long-awaited prize die so soon." Suddenly, her bindings changed.

Instead of being wrapped up in a giant vine, smaller ones moved to bind her wrists and ankles. While she was stretched vertically, her feet remained on solid ground.

"How's this? I'll let you know my name and answer one question tonight. In exchange, tell me yours first. As an added bonus, how about I let you stay like this?"

Umi doubted the truthfulness of the proposals, but saw the Princess' relaxed smile. It brought easiness into her heart, one unfamiliar to her. It was different from her times spent away on trips; involving noble duties, but the location was not her household.

"My name is Sonoda Umi, a knight from the Otonokizaka Kingdom."

There was usually more to a formal introduction, but a thought had occurred to Umi. Likely, she was being kept for entertainment. The more interesting she seemed may correlate to how long she'd get to live. Another, smaller, part of her thought that was rude of her. Technically, the Princess was still a lady. And then, a smaller part than the previous thought she should speed up her own death by rambling. "A knight kept in captivity has no reason to live", it said.

A series of mumbles dragged Umi back from that morbid thought. The Princess was now the one in deep thought. From what she could hear, she seemed to be repeating Umi's name in different variations. As a minute ticked by, a blue rose approached the Princess' ear, the coloration Umi thought odd. Whatever it told her lifted her mood.

"Mhm. Okay."

Approaching Umi, who'd been two steps away, a nervousness grew within the knight. Instinctively, the other too close for comfort, Umi closed her eyes. It was only when she felt a hand cupping her face did she reopen them.

The Princess' voice became a higher pitch, giving the sweet impression from the short time before her capture. With it, her introduction went smoothly, "Pleased to meet you, Umi-chan~. I'm the former princess of the Otonokizaka Empire, Minami Kotori. Now this is a gift from me, to you~." The friendly chirp was a stark contrast to her face, which still had a mischievous element to it, but malice nowhere to be seen.

Before Umi could speak, Kotori gave her a quick peck on her exposed cheek. Satisfied with herself, Kotori's smile grew wider, "Now, about that question... Huh?" Her face wore a frown as Umi fainted, only the vines preventing her from dropping like a sack to the ground.

"She's pretty weak for a knight." Kotori noted, "I'll have to be careful during my fun~."

For a short moment, Kotori pouted as she stared at the unconscious knight, "She could've lasted longer. I tried so~ hard to act like the old days for her... Pffft, I used to sound so nice!" Laughing to herself, she ordered the vines to help her with Umi before continuing to rest for the night.


	2. Getting to Know You, Our First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotori and Umi take the initiative to get to know the other more through stories and actions, the latter more so Kotori.
> 
> It becomes an eventful first day together.

Once again, Umi groggily arose from her slumber, much more comfortable this time around. In fact, she felt refreshed, no longer feeling vines binding her.

Her next move should've been an attempt to move, to discover if her new situation allowed freedom of _any_ form, but whatever she laid on-top of was soft.

Softness willed her to wrap her arms around it without question. The more she fell in love with the sensation, the more her trained body urged her to relax. Not even the small voice representing her logical side convinced her. Furthermore, the warmth it gave off was...

Umi stiffened, realizing what this _breathing_ thing could only be.

"Awww~, and you seemed to be enjoying yourself~. Why'd you freeze up?" an airy voice teased.

A dark blush graced her features as she let go of the other girl, bolting up and practically jumping out of bed, stumbling over the sheets in her haste. Umi became a stuttering mess before she could explain herself to the Princess. After a while of this, Kotori's gaze shifted downwards.

The persistent staring eventually got Umi's attention, and she followed her line of sight. The shock of finding herself in only undergarments made her speechless, mind grinding to a halt. It was so bad that she hadn't noticed Kotori changing. When she'd snapped back to reality, Kotori donned a white dress. Simple in design, yet it elegantly brought out its' wearer's charm.

"Wait a moment, I shouldn't be ogling the Princess!" Umi remembered, berating herself. Begrudgingly, she started to ask her captor questions, "Princess Minami, what is the meaning this?!" It'd come out harsher than intended, but Umi was not a gentle type.

"Aren't you going to happily wish me a 'Good morning!', Umi-chan?" Kotori countered.

"No. Considering I'm standing half naked, whilst being held captive for unknown reasons, it is anything but good." Internally, she scolded herself for using such a tone, remembering Kotori's powers. Opposed to what she thought would happen, no giant vine had popped out to shut her up.

"That's too bad, and here I thought you'd taken a liking to me." Kotori pouted, fake tears forming in her eyes.

"W-wait, wait, wait! It's just the fact I'm being imprisoned is all!" Umi stammered, the acting going unnoticed.

Kotori abruptly beamed, "So, it has nothing to do with the fact that I've been killing wannabe-hero knights~?"

The contrast between expression and question made Umi reconsider her answer, ultimately deciding that in the presence of a psychopath or not, honesty was the only route for an honorable knight! "Frankly, that detail is still on my mind, and will not fade from it anytime soon. I've never heard of someone committing murder for over a hundred years without revealing themselves, portraying as the damsel in distress no less... Perhaps I need more insight, to be open-minded. Could you explain to me your reasoning, Princess?"

An instantaneous reply slipped out, "Sure, if it helps you."

Too surprised by how smoothly Umi spoke, the first time she wasn't a mess, she failed to object. Internally, Kotori wanted to command a bunch of vines to smack her across the face for the blunder, but still kept cool. A calculating individual, she assembled a script within her mind.

Kotori patted a spot on the bed's edge next to her, "Why don't you sit? Standing for the entire conversation will be tiring."

"Can't I use a chair?" Umi proposed instead, opposed to the offer.

Kotori gaze affixed downwards, "Are you going to be comfortable sitting on wood with only that on? And your feet will get cold." The knight reluctantly plopped down, and the Princess grinned, "Now shall we begin my little tale, Umi-chan~?"

"Share what you will. If my inquiry made you uncomfortable, Princess, feel free to omit details." Unknowingly, Umi had quite the ability to flash a charming smile. At the sight, Kotori felt as though a small version of herself was about to throw the script out the window.

Reining that urge in, Kotori began, "Kings of the Empire were allowed to have many women by their side, and at a time I thought my father was different. After... the death of my mother, the queen, at the age of seven, I soon discovered he'd been cheating on her. Apparently, my mother was well aware before things had gotten worse, but I hadn't, being a naive child. Among other things, from what I saw of the dark side in the following years, I grew to hate men the most. Especially knights."

"Then... If you hate knights so much, why did you wait for a female knight like me?"

Kotori smirked, "Umi-chan, if I'm the rightful princess to the Empire, and I'm not ruling, how do you think your kingdom established a royal family without a large-scale war between the aristocracy?"

Umi contemplated, reaching a conclusion with disbelief, "Don't tell me, you _ordered_ the royal family to spread the rumor of 'Sleeping Beauty' in exchange for the throne?!"

"Ufufu~, how sharp, Umi-chan. But the Otonokizaka Kingdom, as you called it, isn't the only place still circulating it, right?"

Confusion crossed Umi's expression, "But UTX was allowed to separate as the Church's land after a lengthy war a hundred years ago, like you'd mentioned. At least, that is what the texts briefly mention..."

"Yep! That 'war' was a lie! To blame a war for the downfall of this castle, I think it was pretty clever!" A gleam appeared in Kotori's eyes, "And for a 'simple knight', aren't you well read? The circulated details should be few and quite rare to come by."

Brought out of her speculations, her face exhibited resolve, and replied, "As a knight, to make decisions and judge the enemy within a split second... Ignorance of the world isn't something I would ever be proud of. 'If I do this, won't this happen?' Constantly, I think of the consequences to my actions." After her declaration, she slightly trembled, seeing the malicious gleam reemerging in Kotori's eyes.

Leaning closer, the Princess' voice became a husky whisper in Umi's ear, "Oh, Umi-chan~, now I definitely know you're the prize I've been waiting for."

Contrasting her presumptions, Umi didn't react to her change in attitude.

"...By the way, what were you saying about female knights?" Umi drawled out, gently pushing Kotori back by her shoulders.

"What, isn't she scared anymore? Embarrassed?" Kotori thought, "Should I do something now? I _do_ enjoy talking with her, and it'd be a shame to stop conversing before the afternoon..."

Deciding to hold off on those methods, she continued with her happy expression. "My mother used to have many women by her side as well, in friendly terms for the most part. When I chose my path... Well, that doesn't matter. Just know that I found only two women who'd loved mother equally, as she did them. As the castle fell, I let them and their families flee with my decree: Nishikino, a doctor who'd taken care of mother before _that_ , and Toujou, a maid filled with faith, were to rule until I decided to return. As for the knight part... Hm~, to be a female is unique, isn't it? Not to mention, there's no other occupation that'd make a beautiful girl such as yourself brave enough to venture here, is there~?"

Instead of a sign of embarrassment at her tease, Umi looked concerned, "Did you remember, something unpleasant, Kotori?" she asked, "The way you spoke earlier, you seemed to be agitated, even if for a brief moment... Eek!"

Kotori's eyes darkened and a giant vine did lash out this time, keeping her rooted at the spot. Finding herself in the replaying situation, Umi became just as fearful, her speculations of the Princess' whims becoming a reality. However, the thought that'd popped into her head wasn't, "Am I going to be crushed to death?"

Solely able to view the Princess' face, Umi noted an observation. There was neither aspects of anger nor grief visible upon her face. Were she to describe it, the girl in front of her didn't seem all there, so lost in thought she'd forgotten her.

Much as she'd like to speculate about the relationship between emotion and plants, she was running out of time. "Ko-Kotori...", Umi choked out, in hopes she'd reach her. Differing from the last experience, her mouth went uncovered, but the applied pressure barely allowed for a breath in the first place.

"Eh? Oh, Umi-chan!" Coming out of her dazed state, Kotori realized Umi was close to unconsciousness. A flick of her wrist was all it took to deposit her gently on the bed.

Shuffling, Kotori moved to place Umi's head on her lap as compensation. Too busy catching her breath, coughing, she didn't move away.

"What was that? I haven't lost control against someone since- ever! And Umi-chan won't last if she gets choked out so much. Maybe I should _enhance_ her, hm?" Idly stroking Umi's hair, Kotori's mind began to wander with such thoughts.

A loud growl removed herself from her musings, and she looked around the room, eyes landing back on Umi.

"Don't tell me..."

* * *

Sleep was inevitable, Umi shamefully admitted. It was her first experience with a lap-pillow, accompanied with those gentle strokes... The combined sensations overloaded her oxygen-deprived mind, leading up to the present.

"Wakey, wakey, Umi-chan~." Kotori prodded, standing over the knight in her bed, "If you don't get up for brunch, I'll tease you for using my name earlier~."

Kotori could see the gears turning in her head before she started stuttering an apology, "I-it was a 'heat of the moment' thing, Princess! I-I swear! Please, forgive my rude behavior of calling you by-!" Finger to her lips, Kotori willed Umi to stop, and then turned away.

Giving her best bashful act she could muster, she looked at Umi from the corner of her eye, "You know, Umi-chan, there's just the two of us in this castle." Umi gave her a wary look as Kotori gripped her own chest, "And I've been calling you by your first name, so you should too."

"That's informal, Princess Minami. To let down my duties as a knight, knowing you're the rightful heir to the two kingdoms. I simply can't. Anymore and I'd dishonor myself." Umi stated.

Gripping her chest tighter, Kotori began her last push by first turning her head. Unsuspecting, the sight of her tearful face landed the first blow.

"But Umi-chan, it'd really mean a lot to me, and it's not dishonorable if I'm asking for it." Turning fully towards her, Umi's eyes widened; she hadn't been able to tell, but the tight grip on the dress' front only served to bring attention to Kotori's well-endowed chest. The second blow was a success.

" _Please~,_ Umi-chan, won't you say my name?" Umi swore she heard an echo as Kotori's long hair flowed, as if a breeze had passed through the room. The Princess' attack was stunning.

"G-gah!" Umi relented after being dealt the final blow. The delivery was so impactful that Umi acknowledged this as her newfound weakness. "K-Kotori, d-don't ever do that again?" Umi begged in a hopeful tone.

Not expecting much else, Kotori declined her request unapologetically, "Sorry Umi-chan~, but I think this works better than _other_ ways of convincing you."

"You're not wrong...", Umi mumbled. "...What would I need to be convinced of?!" she shouted, only to be ignored.

"...Okay, let's go~!" Kotori yelled enthusiastically, intending to drag her to the dining room, but Umi proved stubborn. "Wait just a moment, Kotori! I'm not even dressed!"

Blankly, Kotori pointed to a pair of sandals by the door. She'd put them on, but there were no other items to equip in her vicinity.

Abashed, Umi attempted to gain proper clothing, "Y-you can't be serious, Kotori! What about my armor? Can't I wear that? I'll even wear a dress!"

"Heh~?" Umi gained no sympathy and Kotori shared her opinion, "Umi-chan, you're wearing a shirt and shorts, aren't you? I think that's enough. Moreover, that armor is too clunky to be comfortable in."

"T-this is to be worn _under_ armor though, and I think of them as undergarments! Y-you're not supposed to witness me wearing this!"

Kotori sighed, putting on an encouraging smile, "No one will disturb us here, and I've already seen you naked last night." Her nonchalant delivery hadn't lessened the impact of her words. Watching Umi stiffen, Kotori ordered the vines to carry her down.

Before she knew what'd happened, Umi was placed in a chair at a long table, one fit for a banquet hosted by royalty.

"Now that I think about it, the castle seems too well-furnished." Umi thought out loud, taking a sip of water from a glass set in front of her.

"With a bit of help and magic, it's possible~." Kotori chimed, carrying in two filled bowls of a vegetable soup from the kitchen, the vines bringing the rest in a large pot. Setting them in front of Umi, she moved to sit next to her.

Umi thanked her, rightly assuming that Kotori had been cooking for them. Without the embarrassing scenarios recurring in secession, she realized that she was starving. Thinking about it, her last "meal" consisted of some rations before her delve into the thicket of thorny vines.

Opposed to that and her normal diet, it was splendid.

Noble-born, one would expect her to live lavishly, or have access to better conditions that commoners would slightly envy. Instead, she was drilled with lesson after lesson, too busy to enjoy such things. Whether she was a girl or not, it didn't matter.

"Umi-chan, what's the matter?" Kotori questioned with a concerned face, wiping the tears away. "What are you remembering that's making you sad?"

"Ah...," meeting Kotori's eyes, she remembered _honesty,_ "I was thinking about my household, that's all." Kotori perked up in interest, "Do you miss it?" Umi shook her head negatively, "It's quite the opposite. Um, like you've guessed, unlike other knights I'm a... Well, I'm technically a noble."

Kotori's reaction lagged, "Oh! That would explain some things." In turn, Umi wryly smiled, "And that would be...?"

"Nevermind me!" Kotori brushed off. "What were you just saying? I don't mind listening to your story while you eat, Umi-chan."

"Are you certain? I believe that it's a rather boring story, Kotori."

"Mhm! Let's hear it!" Kotori cheerily pressed.

Umi inhaled and sighed, taking a moment to reorganize her thoughts. "As a noble family," Umi began, "my parents desired to ensure the Sonoda Family remained strong. Perhaps it started before I could walk when my elder sister had rebelled, plummeting our status in the process. Regardless of gender, the firstborn is to inherit the arts of the family. From an outsiders standpoint, my parents are the perfect teachers for this. My mother is profound in traditional arts, including dance and crafting; my father knows everything when it comes to combat, from strategies to weapon proficiency."

"Does this mean you can craft weapons or a sculpture, sing?!"

"There's no reason to get so excited, Kotori. Yes, I can create things like that, but I've never tried singing. However, I can play an assortment of instruments, though I wouldn't call my skill amazing."

Interest stimulated, Kotori urged her on. "While outsiders admired my parents' abilities, I cannot differentiate them from the others who are blinded by selfish pursuits; they lacked familial love, and I came to understand my sister's feelings over time. With her gone, they decided to drill me with endless lessons. Of course, all of that ability would be wasted if I never got any experience, they'd said. I'm told my sister never left the estate before her rebellion, so perhaps they attempted placating me in a way; I must admit, it was one of my joys to not stay at home."

"Why are you here then, Umi-chan? Surely, no one would expect to see you again if you came here."

"That is correct. It may have to do with my sister, but I believe they secretly despised the fact I was a girl as well. So, they secretly had a son. Too occupied with my pact with my parents, where I had to save you in exchange of being able to continue practicing, to prepare myself for my fated journey, I never saw any signs of his existence. Before I left, one of the faithful servants entrusted with the secret told me about him out of pity, and it was then I fully understood." Umi tightened her fists, suppressing her anger, "The only reason I received training was to be a scapegoat target, as their supposed heir; to redirect proposals and assassinations alike. Now, with me gone according to plan, like my sister before me, the next child will gain rights."

"Isn't that how they all are? Noble families all prefer their eldest sons to inherit everything." Kotori stated, aware how the nobility acted.

Umi let out a deep sigh, easing her tensed muscles, "Unlike the others, my family is unique in both name and history. It is one of the last from a handful of families, origins dating back from before the war. Therefore, we had a tradition such as this."

Kotori tapped her chin, "I've never heard of the Sonoda's... What makes them unique compared to the others?"

"As I said, it is what the heir knows, drilled with all our so-called traditional practices, lost to time elsewhere. We lost prestige because my sister taught these concealed methods to the Underworld, and she still roams somewhere with that knowledge. It is also our innate ability to absorb information and process it, to find ways to utilize it. Sometimes, one can successfully create something new by crossing details."

"Now that you mention it, I think your family was appointed the Lord of some plot of land a ways from the castle back then."

Umi shrugged, "That no longer concerns nor interests me. Like other nobles, my parents can only be referred to as snobbish, and I despise all of them. The only reason I would attempt to go back is to say a proper farewell to some, acquaintances."

"You'd try to go back?" Kotori asked, internally alarmed.

"Perhaps. However, news of my pseudo death-sentence has probably spread. I'm considered dead by this point, and I was already prepared to die during this journey. I still am." She sighed again, saying to herself, "At least I was able to give Honoka my letters to Maki and Eli, and say my farewell to her."

"O-oh. Who are they?" Kotori asked, hearing the names after Umi's solemn confession.

"Hm? Well, Honoka is my childhood friend, but when my parents learned of our bond we were barred from interacting. She is from a commoner-turned-noble family, the Kousakas. They're wealthy thanks to their sweets chain, the recipes supposedly from before the war. My favorite food is their manjuu, and I'd went and gotten some before I left. Coincidentally, Honoka was visiting that town's store location." She smiled fondly, "Personality-wise, she is a cheerful girl, but her rash idiocy can be troublesome to deal with. Occasionally, she'll even drag you along for one of her plans, regardless of who you are if she sees you as a friend. That unique trait of hers, however, makes you want to follow her to discover _something._ It's invigorating."

"Uhm, if it's manjuu, I could make some for you." Kotori offered, and Umi looked at her in astonishment, forgetting all else. "You know the recipe, Kotori?! Would you really-! No. To cook an ordinary meal is enough, I cannot trouble you further, no matter how delicious they could possibly be!"

Kotori looked at Umi, who forcefully withheld her request, with a deadpan expression, "Eh... You say that like I have official duties to attend to, Umi-chan. If you recall, I'm supposed to be in a coma due to a mysterious curse."

"Ah... That's right..."

"Besides, I used to love baking! I didn't have another reason to do it more often, but now you've given me one, Umi-chan!"

"Um, if it doesn't trouble you, then I don't mind eating them... Or any of your cooking, for that matter." Umi mumbled, looking down with a light blush.

"As for Maki and Eli, they're relevant to the families you'd mentioned." Umi picked up her tale, nearly distracted by the prospect of eating manjuus.

"Ah, is that so?"

"Yes." Umi lightly smiled, "Maki is the princess of the Otonokizaka Kingdom, therefore a Nishikino. She's a brilliant prodigy, familiar with more medicines and treatments than most doctors. To be treated by a member of the royal family is considered an honor. I'd previously met her occasionally, due to our errands crossing paths. After a run-in with a trafficking ring, it was only then we'd established a friendship. Her ability to mix poisons on the spot... was terrifying. If you ever met her, you'd note how standoffish she is, but she is quite caring and passionate about her work. I suppose all doctors need a hint of such feelings. Secretly, we've even written songs together, although they'll never debut."

"She sounds interesting. It might be worth it to hear a personal lecture, even if I'm given notes of the outside every few years." Kotori absentmindedly commented. "Every few years?" Umi repeated. "It'd be terrible if I was out of the loop. What if something dangerous was made without my knowing? I'm not so arrogant to remain stagnant while I waited." Kotori reasoned, "And it'd be embarrassing if my long-awaited savior had to spend years educating me on common knowledge..."

Jumping onto a more interesting topic, Kotori probed for more details, "That aside, I thought you said you didn't sing, Umi-chan."

"The songs? That's correct, I don't, but Maki does. She also writes music. All I did was write lyrics to go along with them, or to give her inspiration. However, she _has_ written a full song by her lonesome. It is a shame her musical talent is overshadowed by expectations from the medical field."

"It is hard to pursue other careers... What about this 'Eli'?"

"Ayase Eli, part of the Ayases who've served the Toujous for generations. She is the personal guard of the Priestess. Equivalently, you'd call her Princess Toujou Nozomi. I'd worked with her as a situation suddenly turned into an escort mission with just us remaining, and the two princesses. Like Maki, she's initially standoffish but even colder. I do not blame her, considering who she serves and what happened to that person's parents, but we came to an understanding by the time we parted ways. Whenever I found myself in UTX, Eli requested my services. Unfortunately, I never bonded with her charge. What I can say is the Priestess is mysterious, carrying around cards and randomly predicting futures along our journey; scarily accurate predictions..."

Umi then jolted, as if suddenly realizing something. "Umi-chan?" Kotori called, only to receive her worried expression. "Kotori, you haven't eaten much. I've finished three bowls, yet you've barely finished half. Are you alright?"

"Oh that...", Umi watched Kotori fidget, a first sight. "W-well, the thing is Umi-chan... Promise not to judge me?"

"At this point, I doubt it will be more surprising than learning of your sadistic nature."

"Umph~", Kotori pouted, "To explain it simply, the plants transfer life energy to me, so food isn't necessary anymore and entirely for nostalgia. I let them kill anything they can to nourish themselves. The corpses outside are excellent decor as an added bonus, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, horrifyingly so. Is that why the horses died as well?"

"Mhm! With their riders were gone, I just got rid of them since they aren't useful~. Speaking of, your horse is in the stables."

"You still have stables?" Umi asked incredulously.

"You'll be surprised what's been kept around. Come along, Umi-chan, the soup will be kept in the fridge for later~. Can't be wandering around when it's dark later, can we~?" Kotori energetically said, intent on showing Umi around.

"What's a fridge?"

* * *

"...and then I created the fridge for it!" Kotori ended, the pair reaching their destination.

"To think you used magic to create a space to preserve food within the cold." Umi griped, "Although, this 'ice cream' you spoke of sounds excellent for a treat on a sweltering day."

"Mhm! Look forward to it!"

Outside the castle, aside from the gloomy entrance, was lush greenery. When asked about the steep environmental contrast, Kotori explained no one had ever gotten close to discovering this side to the "accursed land" due to her magic. Recalling her venture, it occurred to Umi that all the windows she'd passed while searching for the stairs to the Princess had been covered by the vines.

Interestingly enough, Kotori also stated the vines had covered a "V-shaped" area in the former residential zone, which later turned into the mainstream entrance for the unfortunate knights to stride into. It was just enough to create the illusion that the entirety of the former capital was in such a state of disrepair.

Thinking more about the matter, the insides of the castle were pristine during her venture as well, but the vines had made her think otherwise, with the poor lighting and their arrangement in the shadows.

Kotori continued to explain the castle renovations. After reducing the buildings she no longer needed, repairing ones she did, soon after the castle's destruction, she let the plants do whatever.

Among the practical features she added, lamps and candles were replaced with magic-powered glowing variations of the vines, so that lighting was both efficient and effective; along with emitting light, they did well to absorb it and hinder the knights' searches.

"Some edible plants found their way inside overtime and came under my influence. Now, they all share a space together. It's rather organized." Kotori said, gesturing to the field with a variety of plants. "Occasionally, when they tell me they're ready for harvest, I'll rotate out the produce in the storage spaces and feed the animals what I don't keep. It's nice leisurely work~."

"Animals?" Umi hadn't expected any live animals to be anywhere near the castle, especially after hearing about the horses.

"You never know when you'll be hungry for the taste of meat. Even if I don't eat them, the plants or something will. From back then, there was livestock of all~ kinds that have been breeding for generations, and they established some living zones for themselves. Moderated by the plants, of course."

"Why did I expect this...?" Umi asked herself. "Incidentally, do you use them to make clothes as well? Your dresses seem rather new."

"Why thank you, Umi-chan~. It was true, but I've lost interest since it was just me here to model anything I made. There's some alpaca and sheep nearby, so the materials aren't hard to obtain. Hm~, but seeing Umi-chan last night gave me new ideas~." Smirking, Kotori turned to Umi, disregarding her discomfort.

As Kotori's lecherous gaze actively undressed Umi, she sputtered and covered her chest, as if that'd hinder Kotori's lewd thoughts. Amused, Kotori reassured her, "It's not anything indecent~. Besides, you'll be needing new, _fashionable_ , clothes. Knight or not, I can't stand you wearing something plain like _this."_

Umi frowned at the gesture to her current state of dress, "As said, this was never to be seen! I rarely wore them, but I had formal-wear."

A green rose approached Kotori, interrupting their discussion. Relaying its' question, Kotori gained a gleam in her eye. "Alright, do it." she ordered.

Turning to Umi, she proposed they go to the slaughterhouse. "You're not squeamish at butchering animals, are you?"

"No, I regularly visited such places when gathering my rations. They charge cheaper if you do the butchering, and it's a valuable experience." Kotori hummed, acknowledging the response.

Reaching the said building, she opened the door. Awaiting their arrival was a decapitated cow, the blood draining into a hole. Upon closer inspection on Umi's part, she realized it was another plant that was shaped like a worm with a gaping maw. She also assumed it was killed elsewhere, not seeing the head.

Voiding the distracting thoughts, the two made quick work of the cow, letting the plants carry the various bits off.

Now, Kotori showed Umi magic. What was known as magic was equivalent to a mythical existence. The only examples Umi had ever known were the vines and an artifact used by UTX's ruler during ceremonies.

As mundane creating water to clean themselves was for Kotori, it still instilled amazement in Umi.

"How did you come to possess magic, Kotori? Were you born with it?" Umi offhandedly asked.

"Hm? No I wasn't. It's just- some things happened, and I gained it to accomplish something."

"Pardon my rudeness, but does this have to do with your mother by any chance?" Like before, Kotori's eyes darkened, and Umi realized she'd overstepped her boundaries by asking that of her.

Thankfully, Kotori rebounded and responded politely, "It does, but I don't wish to speak about it for now, Umi-chan."

Accepting the answer, the two went on to walk around before sunset. On their way, Umi saw many plants used for cooking, a rose garden she suspected to be the home-base of the plants' communication, and some animals' territories.

There were domestic and wild animals alike, sizing from small rabbits to deer; even animals she didn't believe to be edible, such as the small birds flying about. Kotori claimed they and the wild game had entered post downfall.

"You know, Umi-chan." Kotori suddenly spoke, "Animals can sense things far better than humans, including magic power. Nature is an interesting thing to study." Umi took her insignificant words as a hint towards something beyond her comprehension and made sure to remember them.

Unexpectedly, Kotori allowed entrance to wandering predators, such as wolves and bears. The family of bears was let in a few decades ago, and they assisted by feeding off the fruit trees and ridding of the excess meat like the wolves, who'd been in town for trade of some sort. However, more effort was put into their population control. "Their predatory souls were a unique treat for the plants, and they're cute~, so I kept them around." Kotori remarked.

As for Umi's horse, she insisted that it may be useful later on, so that it wouldn't meet a terrible fate. Being kindhearted on Umi's behalf, Kotori allowed it to graze around the stables.

When it became dark, Kotori promised that Umi could go out the next day, and she'd make some "proper undergarments" for her.

* * *

After returning inside, Kotori took them to bathe before dinner.

"Um, do we both have to go in at the same time?" Umi nervously asked, tightly grasping the fluffy white towel she'd been given, covering her naked body to the best of her ability.

"Yep~. Come on, it'll be fun to fool around!" Kotori shamelessly announced from the large bathtub's side, splashing the warm water. "And I want to see Umi-chan naked again~." she added as a second thought.

"I still have no clue about that happening!"

"And you never will~. Stop complaining and jump in, please~, Umi-chan?"

"Urk, fine! I have no choice, do I?" Umi complied, well aware of the vines behind her, waiting to take the towel away.

"There, that wasn't so bad was it?" Kotori asked, as Umi lowered herself into the water as she handed the towel away.

"I-it does feel nice." Umi shyly admitted, "I don't mind being your captive if it's things like this." Noticing Kotori's dreamy stare, she asked, "Was there something wrong about what I said, Kotori?"

"Hm? Not at all. It's just that we were getting so friendly, I forgot I was keeping you here~."

"Oh, is that all?" Umi tilted her head, too forgetting the severity the type of situation usually entailed.

With a mischievous grin, Kotori pulled Umi into a sudden hug with one arm, pressing their bodies together. "Why don't I make you mine then?" the Princess said in her husky voice, using her free right hand to tilt Umi's chin up.

"Hu-hu-hu-? Wait, your face is too close! Kotori!" Umi screamed, trying to push her away by grabbing her hips, eyes widening as Kotori's lips approached her. At the last moment before contact, Kotori pulled away with a, "Just kidding~!"

Sadly, Kotori witnessed her own joke alone as Umi fainted in her embrace.

"I guess we'll have to get out now." mumbled the disappointed captor, the blue rose bobbing next to her.

* * *

Rousing from her faint, Umi found the vines retreating from around her. Observing her situation, she was sitting in the dining room wearing a robe of some kind, fluffy as the towel. On cue, Kotori arrived with the reheated soup and a sweet treat for them to share.

"Kotori, what is this?" Umi asked, turning her attention to it after they'd finished the former.

"Why, it's a cheesecake, Umi-chan~. Hah~, they're still my favorite thing to eat, even after a century!" Kotori dreamily announced, as if it were natural to swoon for a cake. Despite the absurdity of it, Umi wouldn't complain to save her future self.

She dreaded the instance where the topic of her poetry, dedicated solely to manjuu, would be uncovered. Not only those, but her handwritten, embarrassing poems in general. She'd never heard the end of it from Honoka and Eli after dropping her journal, especially how foolish she was for signing them.

Handing the knight a fork, they both took a bite from their respective slice.

"I-it's sweet." Umi uttered, telling the baker her first impression.

"Yeah, I love cheesecakes that are slightly too sweet, after all~. Oh! Was the extra sugar too much, Umi-chan?" Unlike the soup, Kotori was cutting herself a third slice while Umi ate through her first.

"No, not at all. I believe doing this makes your cakes unique to taste, Kotori." To prove her point, she took a particularly big bite, earning a chuckle. "You don't have to do if you're going to eat it all anyway~, Umi-chan."

"My only regret is that I can't eat too much of it." Umi deeply sighed.

"Why's that?" Kotori asked, propping her head on one arm to stare at Umi more comfortably.

"Because I'll gain weight." Umi said, eyeing Kotori's fourth slice, "Do you not worry about that anymore?"

"Nope~. I forgot sweets can make you fat. I barely remember what it was like worrying about my appearance, since this'll be my form until I do something about it. Not that I'll do anything too crazy."

"Did you go on diets whilst planning for your father's downfall?" Umi joked, straight-faced.

"Even when I was scheming, my appearance was important to me; beauty and fashion, girls worry about these things!" Kotori returned, equally serious.

They stared each other down before breaking into laughter.

* * *

"Surely, there's another bedroom in the castle I can borrow?" Umi asked, hesitant to climb into bed with a princess.

Kotori was kind enough to lend her a nightgown in place of the easily stripped "bathrobe".

"Eh~? Umi-chan, you slept with me last night, why can't you now?" Doing her best, Kotori attacked Umi with her puppy eyes.

"Don't say it that way! E-even if you look at me like that... This and that are different!" she shouted. "I was unconscious, and had no idea that I'd wake up i-in your c-chest..."

"Oh come on!" Kotori cried, tired of their roundabout banter. With a small squeak, Umi fell into Kotori's open arms as the vines worked together to trip her.

Umi questioned how different Kotori was from ordinary humans, unsuccessfully struggling against Kotori's grip. By no means was Umi weak, owning enough inhuman strength to throw a pebble through metal breastplates, but Kotori certainly made her feel that way.

Eventually, Umi ceased resisting once again, much to Kotori's one-sided delight.

Before Umi drifted off to sleep in that position, she remembered her routine. "Kotori! What about my training?!"

Kotori groaned and got up enough to stare at Umi's face. Having been close to sleeping herself, she was mildly annoyed, "What training?"

"As both a knight and the former Sonoda heir, it's a given I'd rise early to physically maintain myself!"

Kotori's half-awake mind couldn't tell if she was being modest or bragging, but did know she didn't like that. "Umi-chan~, I'll prepare a gift for you the day after tomorrow, so relax until then, okay~?"

"B-but my routine training." Umi made out, the denial of her request dampening her mood.

"Look, you can't be moving around without proper clothing and equipment, right~? So just wait until then, okay~?"

Yielding, Umi let the topic go and they properly said their goodnights to each other.

As Umi fell asleep, Kotori remained awake, listening to her soft breathing.

"Oh, I can't wait until I change you, Umi-chan~." she softly whispered, the other none the wiser.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's only 6.67 times longer than Chapter 1... Any more and I'd get nico-nico-sick. It was hard to steer the prompt away from the unrelenting horror. I can't even write horror, so-.
> 
> If it seems parts are out of place, they probably were written separately. "Aren't I forgetting something? OH YEAH, Friend 2 & 3!" Manjuu is too OP.
> 
> Additionally, offer tag suggestions! I plan to keep things rather tame, except for the occasional NPC deaths(?). Then I remembered Kotori.
> 
> ConsideringTheNextChTitleToBeImnotafurry


	3. Farewell Letters to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Umi's farewell influences the friends she left behind.

"Elichi, that letter is already a week old, there's no way to catch up with her."

A female knight with equipment of superior quality, worthy of her status as the Priestess' personal guard, paced around their shared, lavish bedroom. Her long blonde hair swished around, blue eyes narrowed.

The letter that'd started all this was in the other occupant's grasp.

Daily affairs being hectic as always, the personal letter she'd received that morning was only opened less than an hour ago. She'd secretly hoped that its' contents weren't as she speculated, but that was now dashed.

"Traveling alone from that town, it'd take her two weeks if she'd pushed herself; knowing her, she'd want to get it over with as soon as possible. To think Umi's diligence would be detrimental one day." Eli grumbled.

"You're not going after her, are ya, Elichi?" the Priestess asked, setting the letter down to braid her own long purple hair for the night.

The loyal knight turned towards her charge, "Of course not, Nozomi. I love you more than anything and wouldn't leave your side... for a lost cause. It's just- a shame that someone like Umi will die like those fools, to whatever's in that castle. How can her parents do this to her?"

"The Sonoda's used to be such an honorable family of Otonoki, but those parents of hers... Even the best can fall for power." Nozomi glanced over the letter once more. "Speaking of that place, Elichi, _that's_ coming up. Why not pay respects too, while you're there? If it's that, the vines won't attack. I'll even join you on the trip!"

Eli hesitated, "You want to go personally, this year, Nozomi?"

"Yep! Look, aside from the Church stuff I've never seen other forms of spiritual power. And you came back safe and sound last year~, so it's fine, right?"

Nozomi's enthusiasm only served to spark Eli's headache. Voice harsh, she scolded her, "Nozomi, you know that it's evil power, and it even gave _me_ the creeps. If someone sensitive like you goes, it might try to absorb you to become more powerful, or worse! Not only that, I have to start the preparations now, _because_ of how far it is; to safely deliver it all, it takes over a month from here. The least you can do is tell me a _good_ reason to allow you to put yourself at risk!"

"Well~," she brushed off her concerns, "I've always wanted to visit the castle in our families' records; why we serve to keep the tale of 'Sleeping Beauty' alive and send information there every few years. Don't you think I should at least see the castle where the mysterious Princess is said to live? As for those 'creeps', Elichi, I think that has to do with your fear of the dark~."

"Nozomi! I'm serious here, you can't blame me for thinking about it. The magic there is able to make the surrounding area dark, which already put me on edge before I saw the corpses on that tangled mess of a 'front lawn'. And when I say, 'a lot', Nozomi, it could be mistaken for an old battlefield. No sane person would go into that deathtrap!"

"Speaking of, do you think Umi-chan could be the first female knight to go there?" Nozomi abruptly asked.

"What are you- I doubt gender would make anything different, Nozomi." Eli's tense tone faded, replaced by a gentler one, "You know that I'm just worried, considering all of the danger. Even with my family's gift, I don't think I can protect you from that many vines. Then there's the envoy from Otonoki. No matter how good of a relationship we have with them, there tends to be idiots."

"Yes, yes, you've told me back then, Elichi. 'The stupid idiot challenged me, blah, blah, and when I refused, he tried to walk in. Blah, blah, he screamed for help and before I knew it the vines tore his limbs apart.'" Nozomi retold mockingly, clearly uninterested in the "lesson of the story".

Eli pouted at Nozomi with an unamused expression.

"But my other reason is because I promised you back then." Eli raised an eyebrow, "Promise?" Nozomi nodded. "Elichi, do you remember when we came back and you talked about her, two years ago?"

Eli face showed further confusion, "I... remember telling you how reliable I found Umi to be." She tapped her chin, "How useful it'd be to ask for her assistance for serious matters, her personality, and... her family details." A looked of realization crossed her face.

"Looks like ya remember, Elichi~. My promise was to say farewell to her with ya when the time was right." Nozomi handed the letter back to Eli. In a motherly tone, she complimented the words written within, "And I think she deserves it after she wrote this much about you, Elichi; didn't think a modest girl like her could write something so... deep."

Eli solemnly nodded in agreement, "I heard she and Maki wrote songs, and I knew Umi also wrote some poetry, but... this is on a different level."

"On the plus side," Nozomi mischievously grinned, "we got a supporter for our wedding! Now that, Elichi, gives me another reason to go!"

Eli silently cursed the postscript that wished her and Nozomi's relationship to prosper. Perhaps this was retribution for her teasing, but it was an appreciated gesture, nevertheless.

"Fine, I understand your point, Nozomi. _But_ , can you handle traveling for months on end, with unpleasant events possibly arising along the way, to be ready at a moment's notice? And you can't exactly wear comfortable clothes all the time either, nor bathe..."

Nozomi's reassuring gaze met Eli's, "I'll be okay. I might not have much experience, but I'm confident in my mastery of the 'Holy Arts' my ancestors created, even if the attacks were lost with my parents. So, let's prepare for our trip, Elichi."

Eli sighed, but wore a proud smile, "Alright, but let's tell A-rise first thing tomorrow morning."

* * *

Maki idled by her piano, playing a few songs by herself. Usually, the piano's melody brought her peace of mind; now, it brought painful memories.

She looked to the side, where next to her sheet music laid a crumbled letter.

It had been four days since Honoka had arrived in the palace during a sweets delivery, along with a letter Umi had entrusted her with, three days prior. Maki had suspected something amiss when Honoka's cheerful self was replaced by a rare air of maturity, despite being barely a year older, patting Maki on the shoulder before leaving her alone.

Opening it, Maki's hands trembled as she read, and reread, the heartfelt farewell message. Affection was neither of their strong-points, but Umi's writing was powerful when need-be, having learned personally through their songwriting.

Within the letter... Maki didn't dare to fully memorize the words to give herself an excuse to glance over it. What did stick to her mind were the topics Umi had described so thoroughly. She praised her talents, expressed her feelings about their friendship and wished her well.

Her initial reaction had been to roughly throw it into the corner and not be bothered for the rest of the day, but she had picked it up again before she'd emerged from her room the following morning.

There was one detail that angered her to no end, enough to temporarily replace her grief for a day: Umi's birthday had already passed that year, and she was sixteen.

All of Umi's close friends had known Umi was to rescue the "Sleeping Beauty" from the legend before her eighteenth birthday, under her pact with her parents. For all her parents cared though, she could've set out the day of, as long as they heard back news of her traveling to her doom.

Maki was fine with that.

Maki vowed to not interfere, as they all did, to become involved with her familial matters; if one of her close friends wouldn't move to change her own fate, why bother?

Although, she had a sneaking suspicion that Umi's ultimate payback would be the act of following through the pact itself, the backlash intentional or not.

Umi's own reputation was remarkable. Traveling, visiting remote places an ordinary knight wouldn't bother with, and doing just and fair deeds; whenever she wasn't training at her family's estate or attending to duties, her purpose was to help. Accumulated fame was nothing to scoff at, having many ordinary citizens and then some on her side.

Through her own diligence and with her travels, such a feat was possible. The family that put her death, her own no less, would be shamed to no end.

The foolishness of the situation was incomprehensible, the more she pondered about it. A headache.

Maki thoughts turned back to her own sixteenth birthday, nearly a month ago, a happier time. "This is fine, all of us will at least have another year together." she'd thought, genuinely enjoying her party, including noble guests from both her kingdom and UTX. Her father, the King, had even allowed her to invite the few friends she had; half were typically of unworthy status for such a large scale of events, but for the happy occasion he allowed it.

"How about I read your fortunes?" Nozomi had said to them, the "less social" nobles leaving for the night.

Until that point, Maki had been with different groups of people, with the occasional formal greetings on the side.

There was Umi, who was either being stared down by her parents and with Honoka, or with Eli whenever Nozomi _sneakily_ raided the buffet table out of anyone's reach; there was Nozomi and Eli, never too far apart from one another, enjoying themselves since the latter rarely wasn't the center of attention; there was Honoka, subtlety promoting her sweets that were being served at the party, secretly eyeing a member of A-rise, and had formed a fast bond with Hanayo and Rin; there was Hanayo and Rin, who weren't far from one another too, discussing their love for food with Honoka _while_ eating.

Hanayo and Rin were an inseparable duo, and unlike the others, they technically weren't nobles. While they weren't, like the parents before them, they'd been introduced to and befriended the next Nishikino, which happened to be Maki.

It was said when the kingdom was established, the Koizumi and Hoshizora worked with the Nishikino to protect and stabilize the war-torn states, among some others. Many have perished or faded since then, similar to the Sonoda's upcoming fate, but the two families remained strong; unique to them, they "combined" their assets without strife while remaining separate families. Declining a noble title for their efforts during the first ruler's reign, they solely asked to continue their peaceful farming life, and in turn they were put under protection as the kingdom's food-source; attacking them for greed was equal to a death sentence, as people depended on their yield, even more so during a crisis.

All in all, her friends were a fun unique bunch, in an odd sort of way...

Maki shook her head, getting back on track.

"Fortunes?" Hanayo repeated.

"Yep! Take one card and I'll do a fortune for you~."

Seeing no harm, the six girls around her followed her instruction. One by one, Nozomi told their fortunes and her predictions from them.

Personally, Maki was a scientific girl, or she would've been if she weren't a part of the royal family; Maki didn't doubt Nozomi or her reputable results in her "spiritual" practice, but the concept of predetermined fate bothered her.

For Hanayo and Rin, their fortunes were good, a bountiful harvest would await them. However, for the rest of them, they were harsh, particularly Umi's. They'd taken it all in stride, but thinking back, Umi took it into consideration for seemingly a brief moment.

A knock on the door brought her back to the present, one of the palace maids entering. "My lady, the King and Queen are summoning you to the Throne Room."

"Ah, that's right," she mumbled, forgetting her prescheduled appointment. Dismissing the maid, Maki made her way through the hallways.

Upon entering, she saw a little girl off to the corner in odd garb but ignored her. The Royals weren't bad parents, but they could be awkward or strict about doctoring and similar matters. She'd yet to know what they wanted.

During these "Family Time" discussions, a cozy table with a few chairs would be brought in for them. Today, her parents had called her in despite telling them she'd appreciate being alone.

"Maki-chan, dear." her mother began when she was seated, "We know that Umi-san has gone on to _that_ castle, and you're hurting, but we have a proposal for you."

"Proposal?" Her unenthusiastic response was well noticed.

"Maki-chan, the legend of 'Sleeping Beauty' is... inaccurate, in a way." Her parents watched Maki's reactions.

Maki's brows furrowed, "But the... constant deaths can't be something random, like a disease, right?"

"Yes, nothing like that, but our family has kept one secret about the princess in the legend: she's very well awake."

That caught her attention. "Then why do all the knights that attempt to 'rescue' her don't come back?" The Queen simply answered, "Because she killed them all."

Abruptly, Maki slammed her hands on the table as she stood, "Then why haven't we told people?!"

 _"Maki."_ the King warned. With a huff, she sat down and let her mother explain.

"This is a secret that's only to be told orally: The Princess is the heir to both our kingdom and UTX, and the day she decides to ascend to the throne, both will recombine and return as the Otonokizaka Empire."

Maki was slack-jawed. "Th-then, why the secrecy? Why the legend, the split? Was the war even real?"

The Queen was patient with her rapid questions, having been in her place once, "Yes, the war was a lie the Princess ordered our family, along with the Toujou's, to spread alongside the legend of 'Sleeping Beauty'. The split served to make governing easier on both of us, quite frankly. As for the secrecy and purpose of the legend, time has left the Princess as the sole being with that knowledge."

With how it was explained, Maki decided not to press further, seeing how unreliable detailed information could be by now. She crossed her arms, "Why are you telling me this now, though?" Such a huge reveal could've been explained a day after her birthday.

This time, the King spoke, "Aside from the duties of the maintaining the circulation of the tale and forged history, running the kingdom all the while, we're tasked with sending information to that place. Every three years, on the twenty-second of September, we're to send detailed reports on all advancements that have been made since the last batch."

Maki's eyes widened, "Even the magic that we've been practicing for emergencies?" The King nodded, "Yes, even our secret medical, healing, magic we've been developing in secret, along with the other known families'. Aside from magic, we include our other projects concerning war potential, and inventions for everyday life. Of course, it is buried underneath common or technical knowledge, such as fashion trends and ecological reports."

"If she's been killing people, why would we ever trust her with that kind of serious information? Can't we limit the information we give her?"

Maki was met with a pair of negative headshakes. "Another, separate, non-fictional story has been passed down. One of our ancestors, a couple of generations from the first, had the same idea early on... but the envoy with the delivery had turned up in severed parts within their bedroom on the day of the deadline. It had just appeared without the slightest sign of intrusion elsewhere." her mother retold; Maki became increasingly uncomfortable. "In the middle of the gory scene, there was a neat note on the single pristine area on their bed. It warned that her lenient act of entrusting our family wasn't to be forgotten, and 'asked' us to follow her rules, proceeding to set a secondary deadline that year."

"Even then," the King continued, "there's no guarantee that you'll be safe after a delivery if you act rashly. For example, that hot-headed royal guard from three years ago? We'd only confirmed it with Ayase, that friend of yours, when she was here for your party. Apparently, he attempted to foolishly show off his bravery by trying the thorns himself, only to end up dead, shredded to bits in front of her."

"I, still don't understand why you're telling me now." Maki's voiced wavered.

"Maki-chan," she looked at her mother, "we want you to go this year. Don't you wish to pay respects to Umi-san?"

Maki hesitated, "I do, but traveling with that kind of information... Isn't it risky if I do it, Mama?"

"And that's why the great Nico-nii is accompanying you, Nico~!" a cutesy voice answered.

Maki swiveled around to see the intruder, only to recognize her as the little girl from earlier. Able to see her more clearly, it was obvious she wore the type of garb worn by mercenaries or assassins. Her obviously petite physique, and a conspicuous pieces of pink cloth shrouded underneath, both made her standout from her peers too... Those particular details sounded familiar, but Maki pushed the thought aside. "What's a kid doing here?!" Maki blurted.

Before either could continue talking, the Queen intervened. "Maki-chan, the is Yazawa Nico, also known as the mercenary Nico-nii. Her true name is commonly hidden, so keep it to yourself. She will be accompanying you for the two months round-trip." For the second time that day, she was left slack-jawed.

Shakily, she pointed at the shorter girl with her black hair in high, twin _pigtails_ with pink bows, "No way, _that_ Nico-nii is this-?!" The dots connected together in an instant, hearing her mother's introduction.

"I'm right here! And I hate to break it to you, but we'll be working way~ longer before the trip!" Nico shouted, interrupting the would-be insult.

The King rubbed his forehead as the two began bickering, sharing his daughter's sentiments. It was only by grace of his wife that he tolerated and allowed this girl to accompany his beloved single child.

Indisputably, Nico's reputation was on par with Umi's, although her true name remained under wraps. While she had bad qualities concerning personality, she didn't hesitate to complete her tasks, including helping the poor in remote areas. It was similar to Umi's habit, but she dedicated more time to the outskirts, moving relatively freely.

Furthermore, unlike others in her profession, she openly stated she would only accept work from the "good guys". Those that'd tried to selfishly use her services quickly met her wrath as soon as she found out, exposing secrets upon secrets until their ruin.

Both of these reasons increased her reliability, to the point the Queen had unexpectedly tasked her with this mission, finding her perfect.

Clapping her hands loudly, the said Queen made one final announcement before dismissing them, "Now girls, you'll also be accompanied by Homura's young lady, Kousaka Honoka, if she wills it. Go find her in the capital's store for her opinion before you officially begin preparations, and no buts!"

* * *

Usually bright, past shoulder-length, orange hair would be running left and right. Usually, various townsfolk would sigh as a flash of orange passed by their stores and homes.

On this drizzling day, Honoka would've usually stayed in a store entirely, especially in the vicinity of the main location where her family stayed in the capital. However, like she'd been doing all week, she ran around whenever she could, working.

No, Honoka didn't like working out, nor was she a masochist for running about fulfilling deliveries; lately, the accumulating pain in her legs served to distract her from depressing thoughts about her first friend. Her childhood friend.

The memory of their first meeting seemingly shimmered into her mind whenever she'd sat still since her last conversation with Umi, their last farewell filled with silent tears. Touching her right side-ponytail, the emotions only became stronger; she wore it ever since Umi indirectly came up with the idea, solving her crisis.

"Try making yourself standout more, then people will definitely notice these wonderful manjuu you carry!" Umi had said...

Honoka was friendly and cheerful when it came to meeting new people as a child, which hasn't changed, but because of her status, making friends at an impressionable age was difficult. "Get your free samples!" a six-year-old Honoka had yelled from the store's entrance, voice wavering, unused to the constant vocal strain.

To her discouragement, people passed by without a second glance, even regulars.

While her parents expected her to inherit the Kousaka business and name, they were quite lenient in her upbringing. Of course, her younger sister was raised a bit more properly because of her.

Anyway, the training that day was customer service at another town's location, starting it small. Even though the location was a few years old, the number of customers hadn't fluctuated much.

Currently, Honoka was allowed to stand at the storefront with the store's hired guard not too far away, watching her.

Both common and the few noble people walked in this in-between zone, passing throughout the day to do their own matters; while all sorts of people came in to buy different confections across the board, business could be slow sometimes.

Just as the little Honoka felt like giving up, as it was nearly closing time, an unexpected voice called out to her, "Excuse me."

Honoka jumped, luckily balancing the tray the samples resided on, and turned around.

"I'm sorry, for startling you. Is... everything alright?" When the girl her age tilted her head, Honoka realized her mouth had been open.

"Nah, you were just spoke so grown-up-like that it surprised me!" Honoka spoke her mind, beaming.

"Er, yes. I get that a lot. What are you promoting?" the girl with long black hair asked, changing the subject.

"Oh!" Honoka yelped, remembering her job, "I'm promoting our regular manjuu anyone could buy! Here, try a piece! No one has taken one yet so~... I guess you can eat them all!"

The girl furrowed her brows, "I-I really shouldn't..."

"It'll be okay!" Honoka cheered, unruly shoving them in her mouth. Unprepared, the girl was forced to chew. Honoka smiled impossibly wider, watching the other girl slowly savor the taste and sheepishly grab another. Next thing the poor girl knew, however, she was being pulled into the store.

"Oh Honoka, there you are. We're about to close... Who's this?" It'd happened that the store's manager and chef had moved away recently, so her mother manned both positions while her father hunted down a replacement for the particular location.

"I found this pretty girl outside who likes our manjuu! She's-", she pointed to the girl, excitement turning into confusion, "Actually, I don't know..."

Her mother sighed at her sheepish grin, "Honoka, what did we say about being forceful?" she scolded. "Not to...", she replied.

Letting Honoka reflect alone upstairs and following through with the store's closure, the woman addressed the unknown girl with a friendly smile, "What's your name sweetie?" The reply was curt, "It's Sonoda Umi." Immediately, it'd clicked that she was the young daughter of the Sonoda Family, who managed the general region.

Ignoring the child's abnormally mature behavior, she next asked for her parents' whereabouts, only to be told she was out on an errand for the next few days and was planning on staying elsewhere. "I can very well immobilize an adult if need-be." she'd stated.

Instinctively, she patted Umi's head, catching the girl off-guard. "I didn't think the Sonoda's would send their only child out like this." Having heard similar remarks, Umi politely defended her parents, "Experiences like these will help me grow, along with my training and studies; this isn't abnormal to me."

Lady Kousaka could only internally berate such a noble family, but then came up with an idea. "Why don't you stay with us as much as you like for now? Honoka would love sharing her room with a new friend!"

Umi only became more confused, "But we've only just met, and intruding would be inconvenient for you."

At such a remark, the Lady went back and grabbed a couple of big manjuus, handing them to the girl. "Trust me, I know my daughter won't mind~. Now why don't you take these up to her room and share them together and talk?"

Honoka chuckled to herself, remembering a baffled little Umi opening the door and stiffly handing the manjuu to her. This side of the story that'd been retold to her always made Honoka thankful to her mother who, as it would seem, could be quite pushy herself.

With Honoka's natural energy, Umi grew to enjoy time with her more and more, until they were old enough to catch her parents' ire. However, they always had their memories with them, making new ones and gaining other close friends along the way...

Sneezing, Honoka remembered she was getting wet.

"Honoka!"

Turning around she was surprised to find the Princess walking towards her, accompanied by a small child, both carrying an umbrella. "Oh Maki-chan, what's up?"

Maki eye-rolled, used to her informal mannerisms, "We need to talk."

"Um, okay? I guess we can go to the store..." It wasn't everyday that Maki, of all people, went out of her way "to talk".

"And _what_ are you doing?"

Unsuspecting a question, delivered by a deep voice no less, she hastily replied while looking around, "I was just doing deliveries!"

"Oi, I'm standing next to the Princess! Geez~." Honoka eyes set on the "child" in front of her. The latter ignored the astonished stare, briefed on Honoka's personality during their walk. "Anyways, aren't you afraid of getting sick in this weather? Well, we don't have time for sickness! So says I, the great Nico-nii! Here."

Honoka wordlessly took the umbrella from Nico, who got under Maki's. "Um, thanks, Nico...-chan?"

Nico waved dismissively, "Now let's hurry up before she kicks me out from under here. I don't want to get drenched." Red-faced, Maki glared, urging Honoka to comply and lead them quickly inside.

Once guided into her room, Honoka went and dried herself off, then brought snacks and tea upstairs for her two guests.

Maki told her outright, "Honoka, we're going to set off to that castle, the one Umi went to. And no, we're not doing the trial or whatever you'll call it, but running an errand. I-it was Mama's and Papa's idea, so..."

Nico cringed. "Okay, let _me_ explain, Princess." Reluctantly, Maki allowed her. "First of all, as you may have guessed, I'm the great mercenary Nico-nii~. The Royals have tasked me to accompany her to deliver things to that place, and while we're there, we might as well pay respects to your friend. We're here to get you if you want to come too, prepare for the journey and all that."

"I'll definitely go! I'll definitely let Umi-chan rest properly!" Honoka loudly responded, the table shook as it was jolted. Again, Maki saw the rare seriousness in Honoka's eyes, filled to the brim with determination. "When are we leaving?!"

"Um...", taken aback, Nico's mind lagged. "We _have_ to be there by late September, so somewhere during early... August? I'm guarding delicate cargo and ensuring your safety."

"Oh. I see. Since my birthday is around then, I'll definitely remember!" Laxer, she leaned back, grinning per usual... Another sneeze earned a pointed look from Nico.

"Maki-chan, I think I'll need some medicine. Ahaha..."

"Sis!"

"Wha, Yukiho!"

The three turned to the door that'd busted open. A girl with short red hazelnut hair and blue eyes glared down at her older sister, with hands on her hips.

"Aren't you forgetting to tell Mom and Dad?!" She relaxed her tone, "I know they'll let you, but you _could_ do the responsible thing first."

Honoka looked nervously at her sister, "Um, sorry Yukiho. I just had to accept when it came to Umi-chan, you know?" Honoka became dispirited, "Even though Umi-chan said not to worry about a grave or anything for her, I- I can't..."

Maki's eyes widened as Yukiho knelt next to her older sister and silently comforted her. Meanwhile, Nico was bewildered and unsure how to proceed.

"Yeah, Honoka was in the wrong, but... that knight, Sonoda Umi, wow..." Nico let out a whistle, gathering their attention. "Alright, Honoka," she stood, "the two of us are going ahead to prepare. Plan a list to pack lightly. I'll come by tomorrow to get our outfits sorted, and we'll thoroughly go over our plans the day after."

Nico twitched as no one responded. "Seriously?! I come up with a simple plan, and no one thanks me!"

"No, no, Nico-chan." Honoka smiled, "I'm really happy that this is all really happening. I look forward to it!"

"Well... as long as you appreciate my genius. Let's go, Princess."

"Hmph. Sure. See you later, Honoka, Yukiho."

When the pair reached the street themselves, Maki turned to Nico, "You know you didn't have to rush the meeting, Nico...-chan."

"Oh sure you say that, but I think I saw you almost cry like Honoka back there, Maki-chan~." Nico winked, twirling her umbrella.

"Th-that's just your imagination!" Maki furiously twirled a strand of her red hair, going ahead and stomping back to the Palace with Nico trailing behind her, smirking behind her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm low-key Umi and got second-hand embarrassment from Kotori. So, here's this set-up.
> 
> I've decided to write these in plot sections, rather than worry about word count. Therefore, some chapters will be randomly shorter or longer than others.


	4. Clothes, Suspicions & Plans Involving Umi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotori is preparing that second surprise, and some people are heading on over for an opportune visit.
> 
> Poor Umi just wants to make the best of it all and relax.

Normally, Umi would arise along with the sun or sooner; ever since she'd entered the castle, however, its been otherwise.

Stirring awake to the chirping of birds, she threw the covers off to find the sun high in the sky.

"Why didn't Kotori rouse me today?" Umi reflected on her own unusual behavior, staring out the window, "In the first place, even when she'd told me to take it easy, why have I slept in so late? I don't remember being particularly exhausted..." Her mumblings ceased as she heard a click behind her.

"Umi-chan~." Kotori opened the door and held a bundle in her hands. "Look, I finished your clothes!"

Umi turned and smiled, but turned to unease, "How did you get my measurements, exactly?"

"Maybe I'm a bit overconfident, but my abilities in making clothes got me really~ good at eyeballing measurements." Umi responded, deadpanned, "I don't think that's a very precise method to practice..."

"Leaving my methods aside, try these on, Umi-chan!" Kotori proudly presented two of her latest creations, in all their white glory, putting the rest on the bed for the while.

Umi broke into a sweat, staring intently at them, "Um, aren't they a bit... feminine for someone like me?"

Kotori tilted her head, "Hm? You're still a girl, and a cute one at that with a nice figure~. I don't see a problem...?"

Umi pointed to the two articles she held with a shaky finger, "An-bu... What exactly _are_ they?"

"Ehm, 'What are they?' you ask? They're underwear and, my own creation~, a bra! You'll feel better wearing it instead of those regular bindings~." Umi gave her a doubtful glare. "Do you, not like them by chance, Umi-chan? Maybe by showing you mine I'll p-."

"NO! No. It's alright." Umi forcefully refused, and made odd gestures, words stuck in her throat. "Ah! T-the frills... I've never seen frills attached to that little cloth, or for that matter any undergarments, and it was quite the shock is all. There's no doubt the style is beautiful, cute? Regardless of that, I cannot comprehend how... Is this normal for girls, Kotori?" Umi's panicked actions transformed into adorable fidgets with her gown. "Essentially, your new, er, creations have me doubt myself; I cannot imagine wearing 'cute' clothing in general, honestly speaking."

Kotori giggled to herself. "Nope~, it's not normal for them. Other girls don't have the joy to wear such cute _and_ comfortable undergarments, since these are my own secret specialties~. Not to mention, ordinary humans can't mass-produce material like this!" From the sight alone, there was no doubt to her grand claim.

"I-I appreciate it." Umi walked closer and grabbed the Princess' hands, along with the said undergarments. Kotori slightly blushed. "Though they're embarrassing for a knight such as myself to wear, it's obvious how much care you put into making them. Thank you, Kotori. I promise to put them to use. A-as long as they're appropriate, of course."

While blubbering at the end, the polite thanks was... knightly. However, "Umi-chan!"

"Y-yes? Is there something the matter?" Umi rapidly blinked in bafflement, meeting Kotori's narrowed eyes as she pressed her face closer.

"I don't want to hear '...for someone like me...' again, understand?" Kotori scolded, but her high-pitched voice made it sound too kind. Intensely, Kotori gazed down at Umi, who leaned backwards after letting out a chortle. Nervously, she turned her head to the side, unable to meet the pouting face of the Princess. "Erm, but I truly don't deserve to wear such... pretty things."

Kotori sighed, "If that's how you feel, then there's no other choice." Umi's mistake was interpreting Kotori's glum tone as a sign that meant she was letting the situation go.

"Hyah!" With a shout, the Princess got her vines to ensnare Umi again.

"Wait, we can talk about this, Kotori! I know that my appearance has, shamefully, caught the eye of many suitors before. I was wrong for doubting myself, so please stop this!" Umi began to beg. From her experiences the last couple of days, Kotori wouldn't kill her. So, when Kotori wiggled her hands with a perverted expression, she feared the worst.

"Just wait a minute, Umi-chan. You'll see how good they'll look on you."

"You're saying that for yourself! GAH-!"

"Think of it as punishment for that remark too! And I didn't want to hear about any suitors going after you!" Kotori yelled, nearly ripping the nightgown off.

"B-but I can't help it if it's a fact! Besides, I never reciprocated such romantic proposals!" Kotori shook a head in disappointment, "You're the type that's too honest for their own good, aren't you, Umi-chan?"

Umi forgot her violated state for a temporary moment, "Um... Well... Eh... Eli, Maki and I have been known to be dense in... emotional affairs, yes..."

Kotori let out a long sigh before continuing her rough advance. Umi was going to be a lot more work than she thought.

* * *

In the meantime, in the closest town to the castle of legend named _Chidori,_ a few men were sitting in one of the local bars. Despite it being only noon, there were plenty of drunk customers, having checked into their inns earlier in the day. As the only safe place to settle in for miles, people understandably desired relaxation. It also sat on three borders, those of the two kingdoms and the accursed lands leading to the castle.

Unlike the norm, murmurs of the young Sonoda heading towards the accursed place were circulating, so much so that any traveler would hear of it within the hour.

The legend itself seemed dreamlike for those aspiring to gain great fame. Quick, instantaneous fame. Many have ran away from their responsibilities with thoughts such as, "If I can save her, not only will I instantly become famous, I'll probably get to marry her and become a king or something!"; be it seeking riches to worthiness from their scornful peers, there were diverse motivations to undergo the journey across time.

Those from Chidori would say otherwise.

Generation after generation, knights would flock and attempt to rescue the fabled Princess of some old king. Generation after generation, the town's inhabitants would conduct business with a wry smile as the knights left for their final journey. Eventually, the inhabitants banded together and gave themselves the duty of persuading incoming, naive knights to wander away from their demise. It tended not to work. Luckily, there'd been less of those types coming along as Chidori expanded.

Hence, locals and frequent visitors alike were horrified when the Knight strode into town, answering inquiries with pure honestly, adamant despite being known for her level-headed nature.

"Never have I heard of parents doing such an atrocious thing!" The bar owner's wife ranted about the hot topic whenever the customers wanted, and it was exactly what the three seated men wanted to hear.

She was an aged woman and has always believed in doing her part to minimize losses. Visiting an acquaintance in a nearby inn, the innkeeper, she stumbled into a conversation where Sonoda had reiterated her story.

"Surely, the Royal Family would save you from such an awful household!" The innkeeper was in the middle of her own attempt at persuasion, neither the first nor last the Knight would experience before she left the town's boundaries. "You've contributed so much to those poor outskirt villages, and those poor folks in the west from here have had that knight squadron abandon them just last week!"

"Yes, I'm aware of that. However, it will not deter me from my goal of attempting this rescue. It is nothing more than a trial. Besides, my parents require me to undergo this, so I cannot avoid my fate; I must go, regardless of my opinion."

Without further words, she took the key and headed up the stairs.

"Was that her?" the woman asked, stepping up to the counter. Solemnly, the other nodded, "She's stayin' in the last room on the left on the top floor. But trust me, that one won't be deterred! You heard the last bit didn't ya?"

"I did, but what's the whole story?" Her friend looked around. Sure no one was coming, she gestured to the back...

"And you know what she told me?!" There were a new group of listeners surrounding the woman, entranced by her tale and alcohol. "That Sonoda household made someone like her undergo the blasted trial for a joke! If you're gonna teach your child upright, unlike your first child who's doing who knows what, only to send them to certain death by their eighteenth birthday, what's the point?!" The drunk men and women angrily cheered in agreement.

"Oh, that's not all!" the woman proclaimed. "I went up to that inn door, up _all_ those stairs, to give her a piece o' my mind, but what do I hear? The poor girl sobbing! Quiet as it were, it was still sobbing! Until then, I'd forgotten that the 'Demonic Sea Knight' fighting for those folks started punishing criminals at the age of tw- no, eleven! Worse, her mother probably never supported her before! Never had a day to embrace a mother's hug like a good child should've deserved!" The people around her turned to shock at the revelation, the fact had never occurred to anyone.

"At that age, I remember being a squire." one veteran knight commented. "How old was she this year? Er-sixteen?" He let out a boisterous laugh. "Here I am continuing my duty nearing fifty, and those parents of hers just wasted her life!"

At another table, a young mercenary gave his own input. "I don't know about chivalry, but ain't it amazing? Man, that place is just the worst! Forget them, if I were her then I'd just live by myself with that sorta fame."

While the chatter continued to escalate, the three men paid for their last round of drinks. Nearly sundown, they each separated and headed to different inns, reporting to the other members of their group.

"With Sonoda's whereabouts confirmed, we prepare to head out tonight!"

* * *

Umi panted, lying on the bed with a deep frown. "You didn't have to forceful about it, Kotori."

"Come on~. I said I was sorry, Umi-chan. Please forgive me?" Sitting next to her, Kotori gently rubbed a cheek. She remained stubborn, "If you'd just told me you wanted to do it, I would've let you."

"You stop struggling halfway, so it's the same, Umi-chan. Right?"

"I-I may have stopped, but that's only because you somehow own greater physical strength than me, Kotori!" Kotori faked an astonished gasp, "You noticed?"

"As someone with abnormal strength, it's quite noticeable. Typically, wrestling me down single-handedly would be an impossible feat. Obviously, that isn't the case with you."

"Ah, well, let's go downstairs for now." Kotori said, quickly turning to the door. Calling her abilities ill-gotten was an understatement.

"Kotori, are you trying to change the topic? How are you so strong?" Umi's unrelenting glare locked onto her retreating form.

"Nngh." Kotori glanced back, "We can discuss this downstairs, can't we? I wanted you to try a new tea blend..."

"Fine." Kotori celebrated her small victory. "Let me ensure my clothing is on straight, and I'll be down."

Left alone, Umi stood and observed herself. It felt unbelievable that she ended up wearing the undergarments, but they were admittedly comfortable against her sensitive regions. She just wished that Kotori would've explained first, that the bra's "hooks" and straps were difficult to figure out alone without proper instructions, and she only wanted to help.

Apart from what was underneath, the outer attire consisted of a simple short-sleeved shirt with color matching her hair, accompanied by white shorts that reached past her knees. Unlike her previous shorts, the undergarment, they were made to be seen. It wasn't entirely focused on style either, with many pockets along the side that hadn't bothered her yet. Umi assumed that the shorts were another type of clothing that Kotori had invented. Though, she worried that white would stain easily, but figured Kotori had magic to fix it.

She doubted the Princess would trouble herself with menial tasks, considering she'd even grown tired of eating...

Pushing that aside, she exited the room, her firmly fitted sandals making noise as she walked on the stone floor.

Without Kotori tagging along, she observed her surroundings more. She'd never had the intention of escaping, in a way that hadn't involved her death, and still didn't. Rather, she was becoming content with Kotori, despite the red flags raised by her sadistic nature.

"Where are all the bodies?" Umi wondered at the lack of decayed corpses that'd previously rested on the stairs. "There's no smell or hint of blood. Could magic be this amazing, or is it the plants? Both?"

Not wasting anymore thought on incomprehensible things, she planned her late day. Her first objective was to find her embarrassing writings, but after that... Kotori had essentially banned her from her training... She'd settled with the outdoors.

Occupied with her duties, her travels hadn't involved enjoyment, no matter the good weather or scenery presented before her. Even the Sonoda's estate wasn't a place she'd relaxed in before.

"Ah, you're here!" Kotori exclaimed, seeing Umi push open the doors.

"Yes, afternoon Kotori. What's this?" Umi took a seat with Kotori standing behind her chair. Fancy as the furniture was, the chairs weren't overly tall, so Kotori was able to lean over her shoulder.

"I thought I'd make some beef stew and bread!" Kotori gleefully answered. "With tea?" Umi added.

"Yep!" Kotori poured a cup for Umi, the contents an odd tint. Kotori hadn't prepared any portions for herself; she must've not wanted to eat today. "This is something I've made especially for you, Umi-chan!"

Umi gazed into her cold cup, the contents chilled.

"I thought an iced tea would taste better with this stew."

It wasn't the temperature that bothered her, it was the dark blue coloration. However, it didn't smell foul, quite the opposite.

"I think it can be refreshing!"

But, how safe was it for consumption? She'd concocted it that morning, hadn't she? It didn't seem Kotori had cooked for a regular human, besides herself, for a century. Wasn't it too soon? Umi wouldn't necessarily say the princess was an airhead to her face, but some things she'd done was an indication that she indeed was.

"Although, I guess it's all about opinion, huh?" Kotori muttered. Taking notice of her mood, Umi took a sip and her eyes widened, throwing her doubts away.

"Kotori, this tastes wonderful!" Umi began to dig into her meal, a beaming Kotori continuously refilling her drink. Luckily, Kotori hadn't bothered to present additional portions of the stew or soft bread. Embarrassingly, Umi would admit she could get carried away with food occasionally when it tasted too good. Homura had spoiled her taste for rations early on.

"I'm going to be busy preparing some things, okay? So, we'll have to talk later." Kotori had stated after the meal. "Will you need any help finding your way around, Umi-chan?"

Umi declined her offers, and they soon went their separate ways. A portion of her wanted to see what Kotori was doing, but spying was rude. Thus, she made her way to the stables alone.

"Oh thank whoever is up there!" Umi internally exclaimed, seeing her belongings untouched, and crouched down on the stable's floor. Reaching into one of the bag's compartments, she'd pulled out a journal. Rather than containing embarrassing poems, this journal contained those she wouldn't mind sharing. While Kotori may be interested in hearing the former, wooing her with sappy words wasn't anywhere near her agenda.

Nature is beautiful, and she was going to admire it!

And that's how Umi found herself in a forest zone, filled with tall trees and shrubs. Because the animals were living in the former capital, Kotori had altered the terrain to satisfy their lifestyles, resulting in such wild yet tamed areas.

Having chosen a spot to sit, under one of the trees edging a small grassy clearing, she flipped through her journal.

Today, she didn't want to write. Actually, she wasn't sure what she was doing. What was the point of bringing her journal when she felt no compulsion to add to it? This wasn't a first either. Often on lonely nights, she would simply hold one of her journals and fall asleep rereading her own words.

She was startled out of her thoughts as a bunny hopped onto her lap, followed by other bunnies and rabbits. Kotori had explained to her the previous day that these animals weren't shy, mostly due to their awareness of the situation. To further prove that point, the bunny stood on its' hind legs to stare at the human girl.

At the small pleading eyes that were seemingly piercing through her, Umi began petting it as the others curiously hopped about. Hesitant at first, Umi soon eased into an even pace and placed her journal down, watching as the rabbits settled down. The bunny also fell into a peaceful slumber on her lap, appreciating what she was doing.

Seeing the small animals felt... It was a nice change. To be close to the little creatures was a welcomed contrast from seeing them scatter away at a human's mere presence.

Too soon, Umi found the sun setting, and nudged the animal awake, waving to all of them as she made her way back through the trees. The animals were smart, she thought, as they seemed to understand the gesture.

As she returned to one of the castle's paths, she slightly jumped when a vine found her, followed by the dark blue rose. By this point, she was sure each rose meant something, and this one certainly pertained to her.

"Are you telling me to hurry for dinner?" Umi inquired. The rose seemed to be nodding as a vine pulled one of her arms along. She didn't mind, but then remembered her neglected journal in her other hand.

"D-do you think we can stop by my belongings first?"

For the first time in her life, Umi believed she heard plants laugh.

* * *

"So food for the horses, food for us, weapons...", a man listed.

"What are you worrying about? The commander has checked over each groups' supply lists, hasn't he?"

"But isn't there strange stuff here? Like, why are there so many poisons?"

His companion shrugged, "I mean, maybe they can kill the plants or something? Maybe even put the Princess out of her misery."

From behind, a hand grabbed each of their shoulders.

"Ah! Vice-", one of them began, "I mean, what do you want... Vic?"

Vic sighed. "Can you two _not_ discuss our trip so openly? We'll all be harassed to no end by the locals, and the last thing we need is for people to pay attention to us.

"R-right. Sorry. But what are the, you know, poisons for?"

"Well, some of them _are_ for them, but there's a bit for us."

"What do you mean?!" one exclaimed a little too loudly before covering his mouth. "Are we going there to bury each other? That wasn't-!"

"No, no, we're not telling anyone to commit suicide on the spot or anything. It's to avoid a painful death there. Breath enough of this stuff in, and you won't wake up; it's like choking in peace."

"Couldn't you have said that nicer...?"

"Compared to some of the stories I've heard about that place, that _is_ nice."

* * *

To prevent another scenario where Umi faints before properly bathing, and firstly get her into the bath after the last incident, they reached a compromise. Kotori was only allowed to slightly lean on Umi's shoulder at most, and absolutely nothing "more suggestive".

"Kotori, even after all that tea, um..." Umi nervously squirmed in the the bathwater as Kotori made as much skin-contact as allowed.

"Huh, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick? You _did_ drink that special blend a lot this time around too..." Unbeknownst to Umi, Kotori knew it wasn't that.

"No. It's just strange that, well, I haven't had the urge to use the toilet for days now..."

"Oh. That's my doing, so don't worry~. Having stomach issues is unpleasant, after all."

"Rather than stomach pains, did you happen to eliminate a fundamental function of the body?" Umi gave her a deadpanned look as Kotori shrugged, "If there's no waste, then it's not fundamental. Hm~?"

"I think... I understand what you mean... By the way, Kotori, when will that information delivery you've mentioned be here?"

"That? They'll be here on the twenty-second of September~, this year! Why do you want to know, Umi-chan~?" Umi shifted her position and met Kotori's glinting eyes. "I was curious about your birthday."

"You could've asked me, Umi-chan~." Kotori laughed, splashing the water. "I don't tend to celebrate it anymore, and it's actually on the twelfth. That other date was an important day for my mother... Yes, it was very important for her..."

Umi's face hardened, seeing her wistful expression, "I see. I'm sorry for bringing that up then."

"Mnm, it's okay... When's _your_ birthday, Umi-chan?" Kotori quickly beamed. Dense as she were, Umi could sense the hint of hidden sadness.

"Mine, eh? It's on the fifteenth of March. I too don't celebrate it often. However, my friends insist that I should. Honoka has organized small parties in the past, but I'm often too busy to settle down for holidays and miss them. Although, I presume that won't be the case anymore..." She grasped one of Kotori's hands, "Kotori, why don't we celebrate yours this year?"

Kotori's face showed a mixture of happiness and shock, "What would we do?"

"I'm inexperienced with ideas such as this." Umi grumbled. "Perhaps it could be a casual day together? As it's a number of months away, it _is_ hard to determine what'll be special between the two of us."

"You're right. But, I think the two of us will definitely be special to _each other."_ Kotori thought. "That sounds like a plan!"

"Hardly." Umi remarked.

"Hey Umi-chan, I can read those poems tonight, right?" Kotori idly asked, deciding to float on her back in the shallow water.

"That's a bit...", Umi trailed off, turning her head away to honor Kotori's right to privacy, not that the other took it seriously in the first place.

"You said I could look at them later, so isn't that now? Or would you like to read me one every night~?" Slowly, Kotori crawled towards her, stopping by her feet.

Knowing how close she was, Umi continued to avoid all eye contact. "Do you truly want me to, Kotori?"

Kotori considered it, but it'd ruin her plans. Releasing a sigh, she decided to answer no.

"Why don't you sleep now?" Kotori suggested, stepping out first with a towel handed to her. "I have things to do tonight, so I won't be joining you."

"Um, right." Umi got out herself and Kotori had already disappeared. "How strange. What could she be doing at this time?" Umi thought, slipping into a bathrobe.

Returning to the room by herself, pondering, Umi felt a sudden drowsiness overtake her. Rolling under the soft covers without changing out of the fluffy robe, she drifted into a deep sleep.

At the room's entrance, Kotori smiled at the scene.

* * *

"Sir, are you certain this is wise?"

The addressed man snapped, "Of course not!" He glanced back at the other twelve men behind them, before looking forward and guiding his horse. "We all knew what would happen after abandoning our post. May as well take the risk to earn glory if we're going to suffer anyway."

"Then why did we struggle to stay hidden for so long?"

The older man shook his head, "We could've easily stayed in hiding for the remainder of our lives. While the two kingdoms technically own the land, we _all_ know they're short on knights for the outskirts. And- I've explained it, haven't I?"

"Y-yes." The man fell silent, watching the old commander continue forward.

"Commander, the Beasts will break through soon! What shall we do?!" He'd shouted weeks ago.

Beasts were the term given to animals that tended to "spawn" in less inhabited areas where nature dominated, the danger not well known to those unaffected. Most didn't know why Beasts turned out this way aside from the Royals and such, and perhaps some who believed in old tales as well.

Fearsome things, without any prior training, there'd be no chance to survive an attack without great luck. Luckily for the general populace, the issue hadn't existed any closer than the outskirts. Surely, with additional dangers such as bandits and threat of smaller foreign kingdoms they'd never contacted, the people would panic.

"Pass the order to run! Either we die with the town, or we escape and let the town die!" The men within earshot looked at him in shock. He took notice of their frozen states. "We have stuck together for so long. What is better, dying to Beasts or a legend?"

"Commander, you don't mean...?"

He nodded, "If we escape, we'll make our way to have our own go at the "Sleeping Beauty"! That way, we'll repent for this retreat. Understood!?"

...Thinking back to the moment they'd all agreed to this final journey, the others behind him had fluctuated their opinions since then. Before all of this, everyone was willing to follow their Commander, but now they were skittish. It must've been the oppressing aura, growing the closer they approached...

Hopefully, they could reach the castle before rebellion happened. At their leisurely pace, they'd reach the castle within a week.

Hopefully, the Commander was correct in believing Sonoda had weakened the "defenses" for them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally to be with the next chapter, but it was getting too long. So unfortunately, I had to move the action to later.
> 
> Hearing Kotori talk with a seductive voice is- Huh, it sounds like Principal Minami in a way...


	5. Push A Transformation, Crush An Aspiration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotori fulfills her promise and some materials arrive at her doorstep to help.

An unsettling sensation of _wrongness_ overtook her. No matter how much effort she put into movement, her body wouldn't respond; she felt detached, as if it and her were now separate entities. Was it paralysis of some sort, mentioned in passing by Maki? No, she didn't think so.

What was this sickening feeling, then? Perhaps it was the surreal environment that unnerved her, akin to a deep abyss, a place no ordinary light could reach. She couldn't speak and ask, nor see anything aside from one thing: a dark blue glow. Waving her would-be hand, it occurred to Umi it was the current her.

"I see. Is this why I find myself unsettled? Because of the apparent frailness of my existence?" Umi reflected, coming to terms with her abnormal situation. No doubt, this had to have been Kotori.

... Were those footsteps?

"Hello Umi-chan, how are you?" Kotori cheerily greeted, her words echoed off of unseen walls, "Ah! That's right, you can't talk in the middle of the ritual. Silly me~." There was no mistaking that high-pitched voice.

"So, this is Kotori's doing after all? A ritual." Umi glumly thought, hurt by the necessity of underhanded action.

"Before you get angry for not getting your consent, Umi-chan, listen to me for a little bit." Umi internally scowled, beginning to feel annoyance. Kotori hadn't given her much of a choice, had she?

"It's _very_ important to stay calm when it begins, because the ritual might fail and destroy your soul. Since I'm monitoring the ritual, you'll be okay though!" Her words weren't convincing Umi of anything, but she took her advice.

Another period of silence settled, and Umi would've furrowed her brows. Even with anger brewing towards her, listening to Kotori's voice was a welcomed assurance.

Finally, Kotori's voice returned to her. "I'm sorry." The sudden apologetic whine was least expected. "I know you have no experience in magic, and you... only feel content around me because of something bad I did to you on your first night here. I forced you into this." Mixed emotions arose. Was Kotori implying that their rapidly developed relationship was entirely her doing? What did she do? Wild theories of what could-be filled her head.

Some sniffling caught her attention and she suppressed those thoughts. Remaining calm was her priority, no matter how the implications nagged at her. Both of theirs. Kotori's auditory whimpers subsided as did Umi's internal turmoil.

"Let's continue. For this ritual, I'll be fusing your soul with an animal's, so you'll become stronger than a plain human." The proclamation seemed impossible, but if it were anyone, Kotori had probably experimented with the ritual enough to make it happen.

Umi nodded to that.

"You know, Umi-chan... You're strong. Stronger than all those men who've tried before you, and you have the..." Was that a slurping noise? "T-the build that shows off your training!" Umi shrugged it off. "But you're still fragile, Umi-chan, and that scares me. With this, I'll transform you!"

"This all sounds insane!" Umi internally screamed, "But Kotori's concern is touching." Admittedly, she knew where her concerns originated; Kotori was correct. She'd never asked if Kotori was an immortal being or the like, though it was obvious that her lifespan expanded generations past ordinary humans such as herself. Were that true, she'd end up in another cycle of loneliness.

At most, Umi calculated, she could only entertain Kotori for another half a century before she became too old. While the joint policies of the Nishikino and Church had improved expected lifespans, people continued to drop by their sixties. For an abnormally fit individual such as herself, perhaps an additional ten years bedridden would be plausible.

"I know this sounds bad, but I'm the same!" At least she acknowledged the severity. "You asked before, didn't you? My body, I've altered it to this point, we'll be more of the same. That's why, Umi-chan, have faith in this. Please."

"Alright. I'll believe and support you, Kotori. However, I hope you'll answer my questions after I awaken..."

"If you believe in me Umi-chan, then I'll be happy! It's a shame I can't hear your answer, but I'll be trying my hardest for you... I-I'll start now. It's better to not wait, or your body might... For you, the first animal soul you're compatible with is this rabbit's that I've prepared~."

Umi wondered if her earlier encounter was foreshadowing, ignoring the cheerful mood Kotori attempted to invoke.

"Now, animals have personalities like humans, and if you want this rabbit to properly fuse with you, then you'll have to like each other. That's your role in this, so do well to complete it."

How was she to do that, exactly?

"If it's the flustered Umi-chan, no doubt you'll succeed!" Kotori added, dealing a blow to Umi's pride. "This'll hurt. A lot. One, two, three and unleash~!" Kotori's lack of proper warning as she brooded made her swear to yell at her later, no matter the result.

Umi felt something rip into her, yet not her, and slowly make their way inside. It didn't feel like a stab wound per se, and she could roughly tell her body was fine. It was new.

"Right now, it's forcing itself into your soul. You'll see what I mean. I'll have to leave you two alone, but I'll be watching from the outside besides you, even if you don't hear me. Don't forget yourself, Umi-chan."

"Very cryptic, exactly what I need." Umi sarcastically thought, then scolded herself. Such a thought at a time like this to bury the rising nervousness was unbecoming of her.

A bright white light had soon intruded on the void, flooding through an apparent crack as the pain intensified. Despite seeing it, she couldn't protect her line of sight from it, discovering her form was too like light.

Did that mean a rabbit's soul was more powerful than hers?

Watching the foreign light swirl, it condensed and amassed. It took the blurry appearance of a rabbit. To describe it, it had an outline of a fully white rabbit with shimmering red orbs like glowing crystal, brightly standing out from its' misty form. Within her scale, she estimated it to be standing roughly equal to a regular adult of the forest rabbits she saw earlier. According to the sensations she felt emitting off it, it was most definitely abnormal.

Curiously, it seemed to sniff the air and look around after opening its' eyes. The crack had long since closed, and the two solely remained together in the void, glowing in their own ways. With nothing else to do, the rabbit made small hops towards her, and Umi found herself kneeling and holding her arms out in welcome. It surprised her that she'd moved in her ghostly form at all and wasn't against it, especially after the pain subsided.

A hop before reaching her translucent body, the rabbit froze. Was it frightened, uncertain of her?

"Come, I won't hurt you." With limited options, Umi spoke while uncertain that anything could hear her words. She didn't think she had a mouth and couldn't hear herself when she should've. "I do not know what will happen if we make contact, but I think we can get along as good friends."

"We friends?" Umi's eyes would've widened as an unfamiliar voice "spoke". It sounded like a child's, a young girl's, similar to... someone she knew? "Will human be friend?" It certainly talked like one.

Kotori's objective resurfaced in her mind. "If we try to understand each other, I'm sure we will." Umi hoped that whatever form she had wore a gentle smile. "My name is Umi, Sonoda Umi. Do you have one?"

The rabbit jumped excitedly, "Yeah! The Lady named Mochi 'Mochi', because 'Mochi is Moon Rabbit and squish!' But, I think Lady put me to sleep for long time." Mochi deflated.

They must've meant Kotori, she thought. Who else could it have been? "Surely she didn't have ill intentions." At least obvious ones. "We're meeting each other because you fell asleep. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, I guess so, Sea Lady!" Umi cringed as the rabbit hopped around her. "This call for hug!"

With a leap, the white light of the rabbit entered the dark blue hue. Their consciousnesses started intermixing.

* * *

"We've arrived!" the Commander announced. "Men, rest for tonight, and then we will set forth in the morning under the sun's guidance, weak as its' rays may be."

Slowly, one by one, knights unmounted from their steeds, securing them to the surrounding dead trees. Equipment checked over, they made their camps while keeping vigilance.

The journey to the old castle site was long and spanned little over a week, considering their pace. Their hardships included... Mainly, the depressing aura the accursed zone gave off had effected them, somehow. None of them knew magic to explain the phenomenon, but it certainly worked. Thus, despite reaching the castle, they felt no great joy nor accomplishment.

On the plus side, it seemed that even Beasts had no desire to occupy the magic's domain; its' worn paths, anyway.

Looking at the dozen or so knights left, the Commander turned towards the castle that was oozing malicious aura, the center of the foreboding feeling.

Occupied doing so, instead of assisting with the temporary camp, trouble among the campers brewed behind his back. Certain people were talking to each other, and between their legs a tiny vine slipped into their supplies to leave a welcoming gift.

* * *

"Check~, check~." Kotori sang, prodding Umi's body for the nth time. She frowned.

Umi's body had safely completed its' transformation under careful guidance, but the soul was yet to stir. Approaching a week since the ritual started, Kotori currently found herself a little anxious.

Aware of her abnormal circumstances during her own rituals, she knew that Umi would take longer than her. These things couldn't be rushed, no matter how much she wished Umi would wake up. However, the more time she spent waiting, the more she fretted about the fact that the ritual had never been performed on anyone else. She never did like regular humans enough, and to plainly put, their personalities were too self-centered to "sink to an animal's level".

"If only I had some fresh materials to help Umi-chan after she wakes up." Kotori paced her castle grounds, chewing on her thumb, calming herself.

There'd been an indication a large group of knights had entered her lands.

She could use them.

Huffing, she made way back to her room having nothing planned that night. There was no point in getting too worked up. If Umi awoke and needed help while she was passed out somewhere, or if the knights immediately died due to careless orders, she'd never live it down.

A vine slithered into her path as a red rose appeared, bringing the news she wanted to hear for so long. "What's that? The group of knights have arrived outside? Finally, this is perfect! Have you spiked their drink with that thing? Mhm... Good. This'll be some easy fun."

* * *

Unfortunately for the knights, they had slept too deeply to enact their own schemes the following morning. The lookout met many scornful gazes. While it wouldn't change anything, it relieved some irritation.

"Alright, now that you're up and well rested, we'll enter together as planned." the Commander announced, eyeing them from underneath his helmet. "You've been assigned in groups of three for good reason. Do not leave each other! Do not underestimate your surroundings! Just in-case, should the poison powder you've been given be dropped, quickly equip that cloth I've given each of you to cover your lower face; some protection is better than none."

Finished with his reminders, he turned around and led them through the thinner areas of the thickets. Time consuming as it was to zigzag about, there was no danger in sight. It further stumped many of them how those corpses within the tangled mess could've perished. Was it possible some Beasts were roaming in the denser vegetation? Something else born from magic? None dared to wander off their created path to discover proof of them.

Another surprise was the ease to access the castle's interior, the doors creaking open without much resistance.

"Light the torches!" they were ordered. Peering into the dark corridors they hesitated, but their commanders stepped inside. "We split up here! Decide among yourselves when to split off next." Without ensuring they listened, the Commander left with Vic towards the center.

"What do we do? Are we really proceeding with this?"

While two groups had taken off to the left as they were told, the conspirators stuck to the entrance.

"We leave, of course! And to hell with this!" The initiator shook the pouch containing the group's share of poison powder. "Did the old man really think we could kill ourselves?" he said condescendingly and took off his helmet, throwing it away down the dark hall. The others followed his example.

Someone interjected, stopping further acts of emotion, "Calm down 'bout that first. Let's leave like we've discussed..."

"Woah! The vines have covered the entrance!" the knight closest to the doorway cried. Indeed, new vines were beginning to replace their slashed counterparts.

Turning to see for themselves, the knight carrying the pouch rolled his eyes. "Why are you shouting at some weeds?!" Bringing his sword down, he hacked through them. "There! Wasn't so hard, was it!?"

Embarrassed, the man kept silent. When his fellows had turned, a good portion of vines retreated from view. Feebly, he attempted to warn them, "Yes, but there's something strange about them..."

"Bah. We cut them down. It isn't difficult to understand, even if you're like... _this_!" Continuing onward, the rest trailed behind him. With minimal effort, they mowed the area of fresh vegetation without a thought to why had they regrown and reached the former halfway point.

"It's rude to leave so early after causing such a mess." All of them froze, any thought of a protective formation arrangement forgotten. "Just look at these poor plants you've decimated to get here, and now you want to leave? Why don't you die slowly to compensate?"

"Who-?" The knight that'd walked next to the pouch-holder found himself impaled from behind. The sword making a muffled sound as it hit the armor on the other side of the flesh, proving the great force behind it.

Gazes locked onto the perpetrator, the vines lashed out and wrapped around the others' joints. Not having any chance to react, they were left to seek aid from the murderer. However, it was soon apparent the knight who'd left another bleeding on the ground wasn't alive. His head sprouted a tangle of leaves, poking from underneath his flesh. Fresh blood poured from both of the bodies and began to pool as the downed knight was stabbed yet again, ending his life.

Those remaining shouted out their confused thoughts as the voice they'd heard returned.

"You don't have to be so noisy about their deaths. I took a couple sacrifices for now, is all. It was bound to happen. Ah! But I suppose you wouldn't expect this~."

Jaws remained agape as the "knight" turned to an opening in the thickets that were previously too troublesome to cut moments ago, revealing a teenage girl. Were it not for the obvious signs of her involvement, they'd think she were some sort of pure being coming to save them from this ill fate.

"You-you!"

She tilted her head, "Me?" Her kind expression invited further conversation.

"You're a witch, aren't you?! You're the one who trapped the Princess in that tower and all this plant crap!"

"I'm sorry. That's partially wrong." The ash-gray haired girl made a graceful bow and brightly smiled at the aghast knights. "My name is Minami Kotori, the Princess from the tale that you've all desperately come for, and your executioner~."

"Ridiculous! T-the Princess is being rescued by the others!" The feeble knight from before spoke his mind.

She responded by twirling in her short gray dress, elaborately patterned with lines of a golden color, and designed for decent mobility. "No, no, I'm being honest~. I am the Princess of an empire forgotten, and well... Since you'll be my actors soon, you don't need to know more. No need to introduce yourselves either~. Isn't that wonderful?"

The remaining four struggled in earnest, glancing at the sprouting that was happening to the other knight's former head. Their efforts doubled as sickly sounds from the writhing inside made their skin crawl.

Kotori traced their scared looks back to it. "Him? No, that won't happen to you. It's something special I'm trying out today, so sadly you can't enjoy the sensation of roots crawling up your throat too." She clapped. "Now, my little actors, you may want to know why I'm here to torture you."

Some eyes widened, some tried to lunge at her in retaliation.

"Ah ah, let's make it clear: If _I_ wanted to kill you and those silly acquaintances of yours, I could've done so. I want _you_ to do the stabbing whilst fully conscious of your actions. Understand what I'm getting at~?"

The initiator scoffed, "As if we'll let you order _us_ for that messed up plan. I'd rather dance in a play wearing a dress!"

"You won't be the first, so don't feel bad. I have one player, see? Look at him."

Snapping her fingers, the vegetation retreated back into the knight's head, and he looked... alright from a distance, minus the slight odor of blood. But then a vine arrived with the discarded helmets, and he looked like a haggard man at worst wearing it.

Suddenly, he began to yell, the vocal cords intact. If it weren't for witnessing his condition, they'd be convinced. "It's terrible, the fellows of my group have rebelled! I managed to run away and kill one, but I'm afraid they're going after the Commander before finding you!"

The spectators didn't know whether to be horrified or amazed at the potential.

"Why are you doing this?!" the feeble knight cried in tears.

Kotori looked at him dully, her kind high-pitched voice replaced by a deeper tone, "Hey, Mister Knight~?" She got a small whimper in reply. "Tell me how close your group is, and I'll let you die swiftly. It's no fun if there's no character, no strife. As a princess, I'll keep my word."

"Y-you and your plants can't fool the Commander!" A vine stabbed into his knee after the outburst, no doubt crippling him. The others cringed as it bent backwards, metal digging into the fresh wound.

"That _wasn't_ an answer to my request." Kotori said, malice flashing in her eyes. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but none of you held any suspicion before this little incident, hm~? How well will those in the dark last?"

"Y-yes ma'am, you're right." He realized that maybe addressing a princess like that wasn't his brightest move, but she surprisingly remained calm. "A-anyway," he continued, "we've been together as a squad for years and thus quite close. I myself, technically the newest, have been with everyone for two years with my friend."

"Hoh? You're _all_ close?" Kotori scoffed.

"Of course we are!"

Her dull gaze turned to the one who'd interrupted them. "You say that after getting everyone here to abandon the ones inside? It would've ended the same way, regardless, but I think they'll be angry with you."

He grunted and remained silent.

"Back to it, what I really want to know is who'd feel betrayed the most. I'm afraid you're wasting my time." The knight only furrowed his brows, "Betrayed in what way?"

Kotori chuckled. "You're knights! Not only have you gone against your Commander, and how you say, abandoned your brothers, but you'll be my tools for killing them."

"Wait! You're not going to make me kill Cedric are you?! I will never kill my childhood friend!" Kotori grinned, "Your childhood friend? Not that it matters to me. As I've said, you'll die painlessly if you cooperate."

"No! Please, Princess, let Cedric die painlessly as well!" he begged. "T-the Commander knows all of us by heart and treats us like his sons! He'd be heartbroken if he knew we ran instead of dying with honor. Even if he never saw our bodies, our helmets were supposed to tell him... It's an unspoken symbol of our squad..."

"You coward!" One of those who'd idly remained silent throughout the ordeal shouted. "Stop spouting our secrets!"

The feeble man frowned and pointedly looked at him. " _He_ is the brother of Vic, who is a vice commander of sorts. We tend to call him Vice, however. Together, they trained under the Commander, but Vic has always overshadowed him. Despite how they may seem, everyone but Vic and the Commander knows how much he hates his own brother. The one who led us here, with the poison in his fists, is the Commander's real son. If you thought the brothers were bad, you're in for a treat! Their relationship is a tad strained if you catch my drift. It wouldn't be unusual to use both of them to kill them; the other party loves them after all. As for the last one here, he's just a muscle-head that no one liked. Were it not for his hulking frame, he wouldn't have been a knight."

The other three held their grievances, in fear of the tightening vines crushing them.

Kotori quickly formulated a plan within her mind. "And the two who are dead, they were relatives?"

"Yes, that's right. They were a unique pair in function, to say. How'd you know?"

Kotori wore a devious smile, "Irrelevant. For now, this doll will lure those other men wandering in the castle. And you," the vines half released the man as a gray glow from her open hand fixed his armor and the knee underneath, "will keep your precious friend in the dining hall for your reward. Tell me of the others along the way."

* * *

"Do you hear a clunking sound?" The question made the group pause. "It sounds like someone in armor is approaching. Is it the other group?"

"Help, help! An emergency!"

The group of six turned around to meet the knight running towards them.

"My gods man, what has happened to you?! How did you find us in the dark? Where's your brother? "

Seeing his haggard face underneath the helmet, the knights became alarmed and grasped their swords tighter. Peering behind him, they saw no hint of danger and slightly eased up.

"I-I don't know, but I'm glad..." he panted, out of breath, "I just ran the opposite way, bumped into walls, until I heard your footsteps and saw torch light." He reached out and grabbed one of their shoulders. "That doesn't matter, have you met them?!"

"Them? Who are you talking about? Unless we've gone in a circle, we weren't supposed to meet up, are we?"

The knight shook his head, "Not someone, t-the plants! I-I don't know what happened. My brother went a little ahead of us with the brute, then one of the plants exploded in, what was it, pollen or spores! It made him go mad, and I-I had to kill him! Earlier, the wimp got separated while finding help and the rest are holding down the brute to keep him from hurting himself; it may be too late though."

"Y-your brother is really...?" Disbelief was apparent among them.

"Wait, what did you say about Al getting separated?!"

"Cedric!" the acting leader scolded, "Think about this calmly. You're both young, so he-!"

A faint scream in the distance diverted their attention.

"That was Al, I know his voice!" Cedric pushed pass him and ran off before anyone could stop him.

The leader shook his head, "Lead us back to the others. It's obvious groups of three, six even, are no longer safe. Keep away from any leaf you see, men, and put on the cloth the Commander gave us. Spread the poison to rid of these weeds."

* * *

"Al! Al! Where are you?!" Cedric shouted. His friend's voice was increasingly distinct.

"In here, Cedric!" his voice rang from behind the doors Cedric stopped in front of. Immediately, he pushed them open.

Contrary to what he'd thought, his friend was merely tied to one of the fancy dining room chairs. By vines.

Drawing his sword, he pointed it at the ash-gray haired girl who sat nearby. Calmly sipping wine and eyeing him, with a flick of her wrist the sword flew out of his hand and into the grasp of an idling vine, disappearing into the darkness.

"Take a seat." Her somewhat deep voice and cold tone disturbed him. "Your friend will explain why he sold _all_ your souls to me."

Between her smirk and his obvious guilt, with quick wit he realized their dire situation and the true culprit's presence.

* * *

"There's the brute up ahead, but I don't see the others!"

"Is that your brother's body? He looks...", a knight made a choked sound and turned away.

They were successfully led to where the rest supposedly were, where the hallway entered a larger area connected to other halls. All they saw, however, was the man standing over the dead body, made evident by the smashed in breastplate.

"I-I didn't think he could dent metal with mere fists, even with gauntlets." Some rattling of armor could be heard as a few were trembling, ceasing as they entered a battle stance.

"Regardless of his strength, we should-...!"

The leader dodged the swift punch aimed at his abdomen, only for the person behind him to be sent flying, armor and all. Everyone's jaw dropped.

"Q-quickly, hold him down! He's already knocked one of us out!"

"Are you mad?! There's no way- Ack!"

Desperately, the next orders were given, "There are five of us left. Spread out to not get cornered, and keep the torch lit or we'll be in deep trouble!"

The knight who held the remaining torch was further down the corridor and immediately retreated with it, his hurried steps uneven in his haste. "T-there's no way I'm sticking around, he hates me! T-that strength...! I-I'm sorry! I don't want to be crushed!" With his exit, the limited lighting from the plants remained.

Before anyone could curse after him for the worsening situation, another groaned as the brute ran and slammed them down. The armor already difficult to maneuver in, he couldn't find the strength to arise with the aching and disorienting dizziness, and it felt like his wrists snapped. The most they could do was yell out their status with a side of pain.

As reckless goes, the charge caused the sword to find its way into the armor's gaps, his own momentum dooming himself. Unfortunate as it was for the brute, who'd seemed to recognize his dire state, they'd win.

Grinning, the order was given for the finishing attack, "Now's our chance! Let's-!" Bravado fell as the acting leader swiveled to find one of the remaining two knocked out by the other. Before he could chew out the person who'd led them to their predicament for the act, the vines descended around him, glowing bright enough to stun him.

Going according to plan, a sense of betrayal had easily been planted.

* * *

"... That may be, but, what were you thinking?!" Cedric was tied to a chair of his own, now focused on angrily glaring at Al, as if it'd change their fates. "Dying would be better than having our very existences erased!"

"You know, that's not true. You've both misunderstood what I've said." Kotori interrupted. Their squabble was becoming too tiresome, far less entertaining than she'd imagined, and the wine wasn't strong enough to make it any more tolerable.

"There's hardly room to misunderstand anything, _Princess_."

Kotori tsked. "Instead of saying your existence will be erased, it's more accurate to say there'll be no 'next life' offered to you. The world will still remember you; if it didn't, then you may rightfully continue your rant."

"That is barely any better!"

"But at least we won't die painfully as I've told you, Cedric!"

Before the argument could gain another wind, she snapped. Standing up, she gained their attention. "Remember this: I'm being kind by letting you die peacefully. Surely, your comrades will soon pray to be in your places. Who knows, maybe they'll end up being forced to kill each other."

He grimaced as she exited the room clearly in excitement or, more accurately, anticipation.

* * *

They heard distant screams, desperate cries for help. The duo held no desire to turn back. As the Commander and Vic reached a spiral staircase, after quite a bit of wandering and weed-whacking, they knew it was here.

They'd reached the final staircase.

"Commander, this most definitely leads to the tallest tower! We're so close!" The older man only nodded at the excited exclamation as he caught his breath.

The vines grew sentient as they ventured deeper, or maybe they were already so and chose to act when there was no route for escape, making swift stabs that'd no doubt instantly kill a novice by piercing their vitals. Worse, the poison they'd brought did no damage.

After resting no more than ten minutes, the vines mysteriously allowing it, they prepared themselves for the battle up the stairs. No doubt, more vines would descend and redouble their efforts.

Before they began their ascension, they heard footsteps. Two pairs of footsteps. Turning around, two familiar men appeared. There was something odd about them, but neither could put their finger on it.

"Son? Why are you two here? Where are the others?" the Commander questioned.

Without a word, he responded with an overhead strike with his drawn sword. Were it not for the sloppy delivery, the older man wouldn't have had time to parry and give himself room. Thanks to that indication, Vic could block the strike coming for his own side.

"Father, I tire of you." he uttered, "Everyone has been captured by these damned plants, we barely got away... I will have your head!" Another hard strike made the older man take a step back as he successfully blocked it.

The Commander frowned, watching his son continuously land sloppy blows. Animosity fiercely emitted from within his eyes and it was a surprise, but his display more so. He may not have had trained him much, but his actions in previous battles were far more refined. However, the rain of attacks was no doubt strong, the vibrations from the multiple clashes beginning to sting.

With Vic, he too was surprised. Unlike the Commander's son, his brother hadn't lost an ounce of skill but there was no doubt in power. Also differing from the battle nearby, they were able to initiate conversation.

"Is that really why you've both attacked us in this forsaken place?! You left them behind in crisis!" His outburst was met with a scornful gaze as the other's explanation concluded.

"Do you think we're wrong? Admittedly, we had but _you_ left first, knowing you were mostly likely to run into the staircase on this path. Do you deny it?"

The brothers became silent, and the sounds of the two skirmishes resounded in the room. All involved resolved themselves to defeat the other without a fatality for two entirely different reasons. An hour and then two went on, both parties equally tired, but the second-wind always came simultaneously to both sides.

What should've been a drawn-out battle spanning even further hours ended as a third-party from the shadows assisted the attackers, enveloping them in a faint gray glow, unnoticeable to their eyes.

With the additional boost, they successfully knocked down their targets with ease, uncaring about the true origins of the burst they felt.

* * *

Mumbles among the prisoners ceased as their "warden" hit the metal bars with his sword again. This time, they escorted two satisfied men and two unconscious ones.

Most of the other prisoners gasped, their remaining hope of rescue crushed. If these four had worked together, they believed the warden could've been easily overpowered. However, it was evident that they'd been in a duel against each other instead, so much so the proud men were about to collapse themselves.

After throwing the two into separate cells, out of everyone else's sights behind a closed door, the men were guided into a shared cell next to the others' cell. There, they were immediately bombarded with questions and shouts, even when the warden yelled at them to shut up.

Finally, after a long silence among the chaos, they spoke in unison. With dopey grins they said, "The music starts."

On cue, the "music" began to loudly play and echo around the dungeon. The two peacefully hummed along to the primal tune as the others shook in horror; two alone believed it to be a lullaby, the others became restless as the noises haunted them.

Inhuman screams came from behind the door the pair had taken the others to, and the voice no doubt belonged to Vic. Pleads were enough to understand each action the torturer did, each gruesome injury inflicted on his person.

But surely, this was a ploy to inflict fear, some reasoned. Telling themselves it was all a trick, they too nodded off, until they all had comfort in that theory.

Normally, they'd be right. To make an experienced knight such as Vic scream, Kotori had to utilize her resources to ensure his suffering. The torture wouldn't instantly kill him.

Be it the most advanced drugs that'd been developed for decades or her magical knowledge, they were used during her special session as his mentor looked on from the other side of the torture table. Both men edged between consciousness and unconsciousness by her actions.

Sadly, Kotori began to lose interest as Vic became numb to the pain, following a pitiful whimper emanating from his throat. Truthfully, she couldn't blame him. It'd be normal for the brain to desire a lack of reception when it came to the body being finely sliced and _burned_ in dozens of creative ways. The healing magic created an endless cycle to make such consecutive applications plausible, and it took its' toll.

Using magic again, the men found themselves in switched positions, much to the horror of one and relief of another.

"Next up, the commander! Wake up a little," Kotori plunged her used scalpel into his hand, her cheerful disposition contrasting her actions, "because if you don't scream for me, your little vice commander won't be able to rest for too long~."

* * *

"You're awake!"

Umi groaned as a familiar presence embraced her. "Kotori? Is that you?" she groggily asked, taking in the unfamiliar dreary room.

"Yep!" Kotori pulled away from the hug, and it occurred to her that Kotori was carrying her. If she were more awake, Umi would've likely freaked out, but the fact they were both separated by cloth was enough. There was a more pressing matter.

Umi reached out, struggling out of the apparent blanket wrapped around her, until she found the other's cheeks and stretched them. "U-Umi-han?!" Kotori yelped and her grip wavered for a moment.

"Did you know how painful that experience was?!" Umi scolded, letting her go and crossing her arms. "Beneficial as it's supposed to be, you should ask people about life-changing rituals. Irreversible ones no less!"

"B-but the sooner the better, right?" Kotori sadly mumbled, cupping one of her stinging cheeks. "And you probably wouldn't have agreed to the cute bunny ears..."

Umi raised an eyebrow, "The what now?" Kotori looked at her innocently, "Your new bunny ears, of course." To make her point, Kotori leaned closer and guided Umi's hands to the top of her head.

Squishing the things in her grasp and feeling the subsequent euphoria from the sensations, she screamed. Lowering her hands to where the human ones used to be and finding nothing, she screamed again.

Soon, Kotori witnessed Umi's eyes rolling back for the first time. "Oh dear, she passed out? Already? Uuu... she seems mad at me this time too. Will the murder be alright?" Kotori took out two glowing blue vials, "Especially those two friends..."

Glancing over to the roses in front of her, she let out a long whine as they collectively answered the obvious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't write gore, and I'm barely coming up with Ch titles and content.
> 
> Really, I can't write violence well.


	6. Magic/Moral? Lessons?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After some lengthy discussions, Kotori sets Umi up to discover magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: Thanks to cache hax, I was able to recover most of the chapter properly. The last main segment of the chapter had the most content missing, however I recommend rereading it.
> 
> Sorry for this error.

"So not only did you do _this_ to me," Umi pointed at her new ears, scolding Kotori, "you went on a killing spree whilst spreading discord among a fairly large group of knights, trapping most in the dungeon to torture them _more_ , while I was experiencing an internal struggle that could've erased my very existence?!"

Kotori gingerly hugged a pillow close to herself as Umi cornered her on the bed. After fainting, she'd slightly hoped Umi would've let it all go once she was up again. For the most part, it was going well, right until she told her about the events that'd transpired in her absence after her post-ritual treatment.

"N-now, now, the murders are my business. A-as for those cute bunny ears, they can be replaced with your human ones with enough practice."

"And the tail?" Umi asked. "And the tail." Kotori repeated with a nod.

Kotori yelped as Umi slammed her hands on the soft bed once again, making it jump. "Relieved as I am hearing that news, I cannot say the murders are, _'none of my business.'_ "

Kotori fidgeted with the pillow's cloth, "B-but I really love doing it..." With teary eyes, Kotori looked at her, "And that potion you took can only be made if I sacrifice people." Only for a moment Umi's advance halted.

"Ko. To. Ri." Kotori flinched, faintly knowing the signs of an incoming lecture, "I will not condone such a habit while I may be able to prevent it! I appreciate that you intend to kill them for my sake, but it is..." Gradually, Umi's voice began to drown out as Kotori lost focus.

She knew Umi was trying to convey a moral point to her, but she was disinterested. Moreover, the chance to let her imagination wander as Umi stared intently at her was too good to pass up; her fierce gaze and aggressiveness could be during an entirely different scenario.

Umi soon realized she'd lost Kotori as the latter began to drool with an unfocused gaze. Lewd thoughts again, no doubt.

Timely, a gray rose she'd never seen before offered her a handkerchief, which she gladly took. The gentle sensation upon her face brought Kotori out of her fantasy, Umi's look of anger replaced with one of understanding. "I too have experienced requests to cease what I love from my parents, and I've ignored them. Therefore, I won't attempt lecturing you anymore for the time being. I only wish that you consider sparing the people who have good in them." Kotori pouted, "That's too subjective, Umi-chan."

Umi let out a long sigh. "I was afraid that were the case, so I will assist you. Let's speak to those that remain and later discuss that matter of having lessons on morals. You said that nine were left alive in the dungeons?"

Kotori nodded glumly. "But seven of them... It's too late. They're already too broken." Umi looked at her questioningly, "How are you certain?"

Kotori blushed, "I was cultivating them for a more... sinister version of the potion. By cultivating, I-... you know. Listening to their leaders scream for five days straight before they finally died during our... session, they've become weary. Their trust in each other has completely collapsed, due to the circumstances of their capture. I ended up having to separate them before they killed each other prematurely."

"And the other two who are left sane are where?"

"In one of the old servants' rooms. I was going to turn them first, but I already had some dead ones and the dose made from them might've been too strong for you." As Kotori continued to ramble, Umi stared at her until she stopped herself.

"Kotori, are you perhaps feeling guilt?" Umi asked. She stiffened as the princess let out a low chuckle, facing her fully. "Umi-chan, didn't you hear me? The timing to kill them wasn't right. I don't feel guilty or anything. I only feel guilty when I hurt you, and I really am for putting you through that ritual." Intense puppy-eyed staring caused Umi to become a stuttering mess as they connected with hers. "Y-you're unfair by g-giving me that look, Kotori." Kotori smirked, "And your reactions are always too cute, Umi-chan~." Umi trembled as her ears were delicately rubbed, "Far too cute with these~."

"E-e-enough!" Much to Kotori's protest, Umi forcefully pried her hands away. "Don't think you can divert the topic. Now, what are in these vials? You've made me drink one already, insisted on a second one, and now you're hinting they were created from your victims."

Absentmindedly, Kotori grabbed the second vial from a vine. "Hah, a glowing blue liquid _would_ make you suspicious." Umi narrowed her eyes. "To be clear, you've only had that one vial. The tea was a concoction made for the ritual, but it's similar. I made both for you, to ease into your transformation without issues. The properties within the tea assisted with your physical transformation, while the stuff in the vial strengthens your soul."

"Those vials' contents... are made from human souls." Umi deduced and furrowed her brows as Kotori confirmed her conclusion, then became silent in thought.

As minutes ticked by, Kotori grew anxious while staring at Umi's contemplating form, ignoring all else as Umi seemed to too. Her mind raced with negative thoughts, and her grasp on her pillow subconsciously grew tighter as her expression equally grew darker. Had she gone too far, too soon? Would Umi start feeling averse to her every move, after they'd gotten along so well? Would she have to use her last resort to alter Umi's mind and change her?

Finally, Umi commented on the revelation. "If I hadn't gone through the ritual, I'd be more skeptical about such a component... Kotori." She made sure to grab her attention and Kotori's dark gaze became clearer. "Though I don't enjoy the idea, I will accept consuming them in the future. It may be unfair to the people you've killed, however this is for survival, is it not? But, I think I have the right to know the truth. Please tell me the truth of my new condition, Kotori." Her stern look gave no room for deceptive lies to slip out.

Kotori wryly chuckled after a relieved sigh, making a glum face, "Umi-chan is too smart." Unexpectedly, Kotori laid down on Umi's lap with closed eyes, "Even though you've been turned into this and gotten stronger, there are consequences. If your foundation isn't strengthened in the early stages, you may die. Worse, I couldn't revive you if that happened... Umi-chan's body is already strong and has no problems with _future_ training, but when it comes to magic and the soul, that's different. It's not your strong point and being unable to start those lessons are the least of my concerns."

"Essentially, I must follow your treatment, else I'll risk dying." Umi stared down at the other's face, tentatively played with her hair; neither minded the other's actions. "Kotori, I've already been in your care whilst unconscious more than I'd like to admit, so it wouldn't be the first time I had to undergo treatment. You can be more honest. It's the least you could do to strengthen our bond... A-and I'll do my best to comply to the activities you come up with as well, as long as it isn't too shameless." A hum of acknowledgement was heard, "I'll hold you to that~."

The red rose made its' entrance, interrupting their quiet comfort.

Realizing what position they were in, Umi quickly jumped next to it, putting the princess down gently. "A-anyway, shall we discuss more about the remaining sane individuals in detail and pay them a visit?"

* * *

Cedric paced around the room despite his aching feet, a bit large even for two servants to share, ignoring the unchanging environment. They'd been given basic clothing, but they received no footwear to ease the sensation of stepping on stone floor.

He'd expected to have been killed far sooner, perhaps a day or two at most, considering that princess' sadistic nature. So why, if the plants had delivered their "meals" on time, were they alive nearing a week later? The rising fear of the Princess breaking her promise was all he could think about. Even his wake-up routine was forgotten.

Al, instead of worrying about death, had been rolling on his given bed nearly the entire time. It felt awful, knowing Cedric was still angry as death was approaching them, knowing he was the reason they both wouldn't be able to see their childhood sweethearts as they promised. Nothing came to mind on how to repair it either. Any ideas for trying to lighten the mood quickly ceased, Cedric likely snapping and strangling him if he acted on them.

If only he'd never suggested they become knights to monopolize the new benefits policy.

Suddenly, a knock on the door alerted them both to the approaching vines. Unusually, none entered from the hallway, and the door remained open.

Brighter of the two, Cedric understood. Without looking at Al, he grabbed an arm and pulled him along begrudgingly, "Looks, like we're being forced to walk somewhere."

Sure enough, the vines made it obvious as to where they should head to, blocking the passages they weren't meant to wander. Eventually, the cold stone was met with light.

Cedric became increasingly confused as more sunlight connected to their exposed skin, feet meeting earth. What was she planning? That question made him pause as Al looked at the scene around them.

From behind, the vines pushed them along, startling them out of their individual thoughts.

Eventually, they found a training ground, with the Princess sipping tea at a table. However, their attention was drawn by the person sitting next to her.

"Cedric, could that girl be...?" Al received a nod, "Who else would have that shade of hair?" Neither commented on the strange ears.

They stood upright as the Princess looked over to them as a red rose approached her. Similarly, her companion had as well. Contrast to their previous encounter, the presence of the other girl seemed to prompt the Princess to hide her disdain, a polite smile across her face. Polite, because her eyes continued to betray malice.

"Hello gentlemen," the Princess began, "Thanks to Sonoda Umi's insistence," she gestured to the other, "you get to be branded as my work slaves!" At that, Umi lightly kicked her not-so-subtly. "But, I'll make sure you'll live as long as you work your hardest. Of course, you can still _choose death right now_."

A cold wave washed over the knights as she offered the second option, and it seemed tempting to agree to it. However, before they could speak, a clear voice drew their attention.

"While the Princess had been cruel to you and your deceased company, I do hope you choose to live. It may seem unappealing to live as a slave in such an isolated place, but it is better than nothing." At Umi's remark, Cedric could see Kotori's smile twitch.

"Can you guarantee that we won't be starved or crippled?" he ventured after regaining his bearings. He could feel the hostility from underneath Kotori's kind gaze.

Umi looked over to Kotori, which seemed to diminish the hostile aura, "We've agreed nothing drastic will happen as long as she isn't threatened nor is our privacy violated."

"Simple enough. Al?" Hearing his name, he hastily agreed as well. "So, what is this slave mark?" In response, Kotori pointed to their feet, where vines stabbed into them like thin needles. Instantaneously, glowing grey markings appeared on them, before fading from view.

Judging by Umi's brief shocked expression, she also had no clue they wouldn't be branded by hot iron.

"Seeing how clueless you all are in magic, I'll briefly explain. The slave marks are magical, and as you felt, were painless to implant. The 'drawback' is that you'll die if you dare betray me. There are no warnings." Kotori's authoritative voice sent chills down the male knights' spines.

Al raised a shaky hand, "But what are our duties, Princess?"

Putting on a thoughtful expression, Kotori remained silent. Umi's plead was annoying. She didn't need any workers, the plants already did all the work she could think of. Humans could be clumsy things, the mere idea of these _nuisances_ touching her possessions and shattering reagents was aggravating.

"Princess Minami, I suggest that they do simple tasks, such as cleaning dishes or harvesting the cooking ingredients. Even if they incorrectly do the latter, this environment will not let food go to waste." Umi proposed, moving the conversation. "Let's go with that." Kotori finally agreed, and turned to the waiting knights turned slaves, "As Sonoda has suggested, those will be your duties for now, beginning tomorrow. My plants will take you to select from some spare clothing and to the kitchen to cook for yourselves. Dismissed."

The new slaves bowed before being escorted back to their quarters.

* * *

Umi let out a tired sigh, watching the vines guide the new slaves away. At least some human life would be salvaged.

"Geez Umi-chan, _I_ should be the one sighing." Kotori said from behind, wrapping her arms around the other's shoulders. "I'll have to use that other language, and I'm not particularly fond of it." At that, Umi looked at Kotori's pouting face incredulously. "I highly doubt you have issues speaking in English, despite a preference for Japanese."

Kotori shrugged, "It wasn't popular until I faded away... Now that we're alone again, how about our deal~?" Umi felt a small sense of dread, meeting Kotori's sly expression from over her shoulder, but she would keep her promises. "Yes, yes. We shall go picnicking tomorrow, and I shall not 'freak out' from solely laying next to you anymore. Honestly, I don't see the appeal of sitting upon the ground to eat as a leisure, even if the outdoors are pleasant."

"Why, it's because it's romantic Umi-chan!" Kotori internally thought, "And we could take walks, nap, and even feed each other like couples do~." Suddenly, Kotori clasped Umi's shoulders, ignoring her indignant yelp. "I'm really looking forward to it." she said distantly to a startled Umi. "Kotori, your eyes have the odd gleam of someone enthusiastic... in a frighteningly concerning way." she remarked. Umi's words went unheard as a plot began to develop.

"Since we have the rest of the day, Kotori, may you explain magic more thoroughly?" Umi requested, as the grip onto her eased. Kotori returned to the present and blinked. "Some magic training? ...It'll be fine to feel magic." Kotori muttered to herself, finally deeming it safe. "Come sit on the grass next to the field then, Umi-chan."

As per her instruction, Umi went and did so, loosening up. Meditation wasn't an unfamiliar practice. It might've seemed dull, but it was an activity that she enjoyed, as it gave her mind peace between her father's practice sessions.

"Relaxed are we?" Umi nodded, looking at the princess standing in front of her. "Good."

Kotori began to speak like a lecturer, which Umi thought was a bit much but intently listened, "Unlike the older families' magic, such as the ones hidden by the royal families you know, we're able to use it differently. Like them, we can manipulate the surrounding magical energy for our needs, or borrow from other beings. This outer source includes my vines. They help me, but they have a mind of their own; it isn't my magic, even if we're mentally linked at times. Are you following?"

"Yes. Though I hadn't suspected the vines were their own entity, perhaps I should've guessed that were so." Umi commented. Kotori giggled, "We _have_ been together for a century, Umi-chan~, so we're well coordinated...", "like you and me one day." her thoughts added, and she began to zone out again.

"Kotori, is the sun bothering you? You seem to be a little heated, your face is beginning to flush." Unfortunately their eyes met, thus drawing attention to Umi's worried gaze, this time brightened by the sun. "Umi-chan has really nice eyebrows... Her eyebrows?! I'm admiring eyebrows?!" Umi gave Kotori's back an odd look as she spun around, cupping her face.

"Kotori what is-?" Hastily, Kotori let a light frost cool her face and then turned to brush any concerns off with a stutter, "I-I'm fine! I was just... worrying... over some-thing!" Umi raised a se- an eyebrow, but said nothing. "Moving on," Kotori regained her tone, "unlike them our magic also comes from inside ourselves, allowing us to manipulate our surroundings or other beings. It takes much more practice."

"But how do we have that ability?" Umi questioned.

Clapping her hands, Kotori flashed a smile, "My circumstances are a little different, but you can, thanks to fusing with that white rabbit's soul! That's why it's important to get along~, okay?"

"I-I'll do my best, then."

"To start sensing, compare yourself to the air around you. Thanks to your inner source, your body knows, but your mind has to catch up! Take your time, Umi-chan. I'll dispel anything that seems to be an accidental spell. Don't worry with Kotori here!"

Umi nodded in acknowledgement and took deep breaths, closing her eyes to begin concentrating.

"Magic in the air." Umi repeated internally. "How vague. How would I- What's that sound?" Straining her ears seemed to muffle the sound further, much to Umi's confusion. Noticing her distress, Kotori gave her some advice, "Umi-chan, there's someone in your head now. Why don't you focus there?"

Doing so, the voice grew in volume and she quickly recognized it. "...! ... Lady! Sea Lady!" Who other then her new acquaintance? "Mochi! Can you hear me?" Umi experimented. "Yep, Mochi can! Mochi heard Umi look for magic and came to help. Wait for Mochi!"

* * *

Umi didn't know what she was to wait for, but did so. Slowly, the vision of her closed eyelids transitioned into darkness and her glowing form. "This again?" Umi thought, twisting her dark blue "limbs".

"Umi~!" Said girl grunted as a white blur crashed into her, spinning them both around. "M-Mochi, please be a little gentler. I'm not used to this form." Even faceless, the moon rabbit conveyed a pout, "But Mochi likes hugs..." Reluctantly, they separated from her.

"Now, why did we return here? Will we be sharing our memories again?" Umi questioned, giving a few pats.

From prior experience, they'd completed the ritual by letting the other view select memories from a third-person view and grew closer. Umi shared some painful moments, alongside the joyous ones; Umi shared things that summed up her life, such as her strained home, her friends, her first battles, and cherished meetings. Even Kotori was included.

As for Mochi, Umi found their memories baffling, even bittersweet. She didn't know what she expected when Mochi called themselves a "Moon Rabbit", but she hadn't expected a memory that'd taken place _on_ the moon itself. Though specific details blurred due to the passage of time, as older memories do, there was no doubt that the lunar surface was prominent in many memories.

From what she could deduce, Mochi had a second, humanoid, form, but couldn't clearly make it out. Not dwelling on it, she learned Mochi used to be quite a powerful individual among her peers, despite her personality, since her birth there; by default, she'd been gifted.

Life for Mochi had gone well, up until the previously friendly humans came and attacked.

Among her friends, Maki would drone on sometimes about her hopes of reaching the stars when they were somewhat alone in a campsite together. Not personally travel in their lifetime, but at least spark the interest. As a child, if she recalled correctly, Maki loved the stories that personified the astral bodies. Admittedly, it was silly thing from her childhood, but it was the next thing from music and doctoring that she'd love to do. Umi never had such an ambition, but it seemed admirable to touch something so far away.

Mochi's memories proved that humanity had accomplished the near impossible dream of the young Nishikino princess, even if it ended in fire.

War was a concept Umi had studied, it was her duty as a noble knight. Both Otonokizaka and UTX were technically two separate states, after all. Yet, there had been no war to fight in, only skirmishes with large bands of bandits, Beasts or the like. Therefore, it'd been a bit shocking to watch Mochi's life play out like a fairy tale.

Amazingly, moon rabbits could directly communicate with each other, thus defenses were quickly erected as human invaders began their terrorism.

The first problem the moon rabbits found were the humans managed to hold their own against weaker troops, but, the beings such as Mochi easily dissected the invaders. However, the second problem immediately was noticed.

The second problem was that the planet's little resources were used up only because of humanities' population; the invaders sent whoever they could and had the people to do it. Endless ship after ship, ships being vehicles that somehow flew from the planet's surface with an eerie glow, delivered humans that were seeking a fight. Worse, the poorly made and unusable contraptions would've exploded if not for the natives' interventions.

Quite quickly, a solution was thought up for it as well. Mochi, and a handful of others, were shipped off to sabotage the humans' launch-sites.

Easily, the war was ended by Mochi and her companions after much bloodshed, and it was unbelievable to Umi that it'd transpired in less than a week. Unfortunately, much to Mochi's dismay, the small pod they'd arrived on was one-way and had self-destructed early on. Understandably, since the technology in human hands would've been a disaster, yet it felt... awful being the sacrifice.

The memories had hazed upon this revelation, until the memory cleared enough to see a battered Mochi alone with a womanly figure, no other moon rabbit in sight. However compared to the wasteland the resulted from the war, there seemed to be sprouting vegetation, indicating some time had passed since she'd been abandoned.

They spoke but she couldn't hear them clearly, which she felt was Mochi's doing, but understood enough that the outline of the woman had put Mochi asleep up until Kotori put them into the ritual.

"Umi? You okay?"

"Yes." Umi automatically replied, brought out of her recollection. "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"Mochi said to look inside Umi, Umi. That's why we here. Mochi gets magic, and Umi looks at magic."

Umi had no clue what to expect. "I... see. Let's begin then."

* * *

Kotori hummed as she edited sketches of Umi in cute dresses and sipped tea. By all means, she was monitoring the magical fluctuations around Umi. Though who said she couldn't fool around? Of course, she wouldn't tell Umi she did, lest she be scolded.

As she sketched, she tended to think out-loud. No one had been around her for so long, that it became a habit. She'd fix that one day so Umi wouldn't hear her, for the sake of the knight's sense of purity, but today wasn't that day. "Oh~! A miniskirt would make this design so much better. Ah, but this material... no, this one would look the best for this. Then again, maybe it'd look good in pink? Hehe~, I think Umi-chan would look like candy, and I'd eat her up~. Note to self: make Umi-chan's sleepwear fluffy and pink for winter. As for-" Her face donned a bemused expression as a particularly strong fluctuation made Kotori freeze and put down her sketchbook.

Unbeknownst to Umi, her own magic began gathering water at a large-scale over their heads. Should it drop, it'd be akin to a crushing waterfall, Kotori mused as she watched the water-ball form.

"Umi-chan isn't making it easy to keep my promises today. I didn't expect her to fully awaken her latent magic for quite some time, but this will majorly help stabilize her." Kotori muttered to herself, "How should I solve this?" Droplets of water hit her skull and urged her to act in urgency. The princess moved in anything but, remaining seated. "Fire? No, maybe wind would... no too boring." The droplets had increased into a light sprinkle. "Hmmm, maybe I'll practice water today."

Mind set, the princess stood and began countering Umi's control, always easier said than done.

To begin resolving the incident, Kotori quickly analyzed the phenomenon happening around them. While the moisture in the air had been gathered, Umi had alarmingly began to take from the plants. Kotori's eyes widened with interest as she sealed off that possibility using her own magic, only for that offending magic to redirect and target her instead.

Kotori frowned as she clenched her chest. It wouldn't harm her, not with her barrier in place, but it was unpleasant to think Umi's magic would consider her a target. "Just a little, it hurts to see a part of Umi-chan doesn't trust me deep down." Kotori said, disheartened. Before any darker emotions could take hold, Kotori rapidly shook her head clear.

Now in a foul mood, Kotori waved her hand. In an instance, wind magic in combination with the aforementioned water were used to eliminate Umi's unconscious hold and then scatter what remainder of the water-ball hadn't rained down upon them.

At that moment, Umi opened her eyes, taking in the newly saturated environment. Pretty as the scenery was, "Kotori?" Umi furrowed her brows and stood on numbed legs, "What exactly happened here? Did I-?"

Kotori put up an unnoticeably false smile, "A little mishap with your magic~. I used this chance to water the field, so everything worked out!" She removed the mud sticking to Umi's legs, "Did you sense it?"

"Yes!" Umi enthusiastically replied, so much so it baffled Kotori when she even grasped her hands with sparkling eyes, "I have never felt such a sensation! Words truly cannot describe what magic is, as the elated emotions I feel are greater than those I felt climbing mountains. Kotori, I must thank you for this life-changing experience!"

"W-well... No problem! As I thought, this is the proper way to teach you magic. I'm relieved~." That was a partial truth, she'd just gone with the flow.

"I look forward spending time with you Kotori, even if we're to be like this while on these new paths together, of mentor and student."

"Huh?" Something wasn't right here...

"I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to make a lesson plan on morals that is up to the standards of royalty tonight, with the amount of thought that your hands-on lesson has shown me today. In fact, if you do not mind, I wish to use the kitchen and cook today's dinner in gratitude."

Kotori numbly nodded, "Koh?" There it was.

"Thank you, I shall go inside first then. I will spare no effort to cook the dishes that I have learnt to make, please look forward to it." Surprisingly, Umi politely kissed her hand before walking away.

Kotori's thoughts hadn't quite caught up with the unfortunate development as she stood dumbfounded, the ever so oblivious Umi heading back inside with an uncharacteristic skip to her step and twitch to her ears.

"Wait, Umi-chan was serious about the moral lessons?!" Kotori yelled into the sky and burst into flames.

For a dramatic effect, befitting of the frustration she felt from returning to square one.

* * *

Already in the kitchen, Umi sneezed, dropping a pot. Before it could hit the floor, a vine managed to secure it.

"Oh, thank you." Umi said to the pair of the dark blue and gray rose, that'd suddenly brought an entourage of vines into the kitchen, "I appreciate you gathering ingredients as well."

It was probably best to let Kotori vent alone outside before dinner, they had decided, so they'd went to help Umi cook up a feast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally released this with all the extra time I had.  
> I got inspired to write again after reading some Spanish written AU things with google translate.  
> Until now, the chapter always seemed too short as I usually work on a 5k-word-per-chapter quota.
> 
> From what you may have guessed from the chaotic series of events this chapter, I've kind of ran out of inspiration as a whole, so that messed me up. If you want a concept shoved in, feel free to comment or PM me. Always up for a discussion for any idea, really, even if it's unrelated to this.

**Author's Note:**

> I just thought of this.
> 
> Also, NEVER search this title on this website. I saw things.
> 
> Now I'm playing Arknights and getting destroyed.


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